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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

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UNITED STATES OF AMEEICA. 





GETTING READY 



FOR A REVIVAL 



7 



REV. E. S. LORENZ, B. D. 



PRESIDENT OF LEBANON VALLEY COLLEGE 




DAYTON, OHIO: 
United Brethren Publishing House. 

1888. 







COPYRIGHT, 1888, 

By W. J. Shuey, Dayton, Ohio. 



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PREFACE. 



Great as are many of the mistakes made in the management 
of revival work, there is none, in my judgment, so general and 
disastrous as the negledl adequately to prepare for the coming 
special services, weeks, and even months in advance. The time 
was when preparation for a revival was impossible, for a preacher 
with from ten to forty appointments to serve could do little more 
than preach, holding a meeting here or there as the Spirit seemed 
to indicate. The rapid concentration of mind and heart possible 
to our simple minded fathers on account of the lack of other sub- 
jects of thought and feeling made preparation less necessary 
than it is now in this day of complex civilization with its unnum- 
bered distra(5ling elements. What was once a simple problem 
has become a greatly complicated one whose solution requires 
great fertility in expedients and indomitable patience. I was 
impressed with this fsaSt at the very beginning of my ministry, 
and what little success the I^ord has given me in winning souls 
has seemed largely due on its human side to the plans and meth- 
ods employed in preparing the way for the revival service. It 
has seemed a duty to give an account of the general principles 
which guided me in this work with such plans and methods as 
would illustrate them, and make them more suggestive, as a help 
to others whose thoughts have not taken the same direc5lion, or 
whose youth and inexperience would lead them to welcome prac- 
tical suggestions in this important work. 

I hardly need to say that no attempt has been made to 
exhaust the possible methods that may be employed in work 



Vlll PREFACE. 

preparatory to a revival. My desire has been to be sug^gestive 
rather than exhaustive. Personal talents and local circumstances 
vary so greatly that an endless variety of plans and measures are 
possible, and if the following pages suggest other and better 
plans to the fertile mind of the earnest evangelistic worker their 
purpose has been fully met. 

Many of the plans and expedients suggested in this volume 
will not be found practicable everywhere ; but that does not prove 
them practicable nowhere. Indeed, none have been admitted 
which have not approved themselves either in the author's own 
experience or in that of some of his brethren. To such pastors 
as find the clerical profession an easy one the following discus- 
sion will appear absurd, for it implies absolute absorption of 
mind in the aggressive work of the church and unceasing toil by 
day and by night. The lazy minister who reverses the law of the 
Sabbath, working one day and resting six, has no use for this 
volume. These pages take for granted that the pastor is a hard 
worker who spares himself only that he may work harder in the 
future. 

As many a shrewd reader will suspect it at any rate, I may as 
well confess that this volume is but a part of a larger work which 
was to have contained a discussion of all the important phases of 
the management of revivals. Called to accept other duties 
which claim all my strength and leisure. I am obliged to relin- 
quish the larger plan and to content myself with sending out 
only the first of the three parts of the work. Whether the other 
r^-o parts, en the manaee:ne::t of the work ''During the 
Revival" and ''After the Revival" will ever be prepared is 
known only to Him for whose glory they were projected. 

E. S. LOREXZ. 

Lebanon Valley College^ Anntnlle, Pa., July ijlh, jSSS, 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



Introduction ii 

PART I. 
The Preacher's Preparation. 

Chapter First — Studying the Situation 17 

Chapter Second — Preparing Means and Methods 33 

Chapter Third — Spiritual Preparation 52 

PART II. 
Preparation of the Church. 

Chapter First — Waking the Energy of the Church 76 

Chapter Second — Spiritual Preparation of the Church S^ 

Chapter Third — Organizing the Church 104 

PART III. 
General Preparation. 

Chapter First — Preparation of the Unsaved 119 

Chapter Second — Calling an Kvangelist 143 

Chapter Third — Miscellaneous Preparation 151 



**The conne<5lion between the right use of means for a re- 
vival, and a revival, is as philosophically sure as between the 
right use of means to raise grain and a crop of wheat. I be- 
lieve, in fa(5l, it is more certain, and that there are fewer 
instances of failure. The effe(5l is more certain to follow. 
Probably the law conne(5ling cause and effecft is more undevi- 
ating in spiritual than in natural things, and so there are 
fewer exceptions." — President Finney, 



INTRODUCTION. 



Before proceeding to consider the methods to be used in pre- 
paring for revival work, it is important that the conception of 
revivals upon which this study is based should be clearly defined, 
and its claims to definite treatment examined and justified. 

In a general way a revival may be said to be the result of a 
special religious impulse manifesting itself in the renewal of the 
first love of Christians, and the quickening of their zeal, and in 
the conversion of sinners. The very etymology of the word 
implies previous spiritual death. Indifference and negle(5l hav- 
ing broken down the spiritual life of a community, at its lowest 
ebb an unexpedled readlion is felt. The native religious 
instindls of the race assert themselves, and open the w^ay for the 
operation of the Holy Spirit. Suddenly, and often seemingly 
spontaneously, a wonderful interest is felt by church and world 
alike in the long negledled subje(5l of religion, especially in its 
personal bearings. The church becomes conscious of its sin and 
unworthinefcs, repents deeply of its backslidings, renews its faith 
and love for God, and manifests a consuming zeal for the exten- 
sion of his kingdom. The results of the new religious impulse 
are seen among sinners in antagonism, restlessness, fear, con- 
vi(5lioa of sin, and conversion. The movement afife(5ls the 
community in its organized solidarity as a community, not as an 
aggregation of individuals. Like conditions have produced like 
needs and susceptibilities, and, the movement having found a 
beginning in some more religiously sensitive heart, it runs like 
an electric current throughout the whole community. 

xi 



XIV IXTRODUCTION". 

ingj but also eager to save, and rejoices to cooperate with any 
honest effort to accomplish the results he himself so earnest^.y 
desires. God's wish to save men is not fluctuating, or subje(fl to 
ebb and flow, finding its manifestation in a comm.unity but once 
in two or three or even ten years, but an abiding passion of the 
divine heart upon which we can reh" even more certainly than 
we can on the force of gravitation. God's love for souls is always 
aglow. He is always ready to work in a revival. His right arm 
of power is ever bare waiting to be set in motion by the pra^'er 
ot faith from a soul which longs for the salvation of sinners. 

The second truth justifying this conception of the revival is 
that God does not use his power in an immediate and absolute 
way, but in his wisdom prefers to work by human agencies. The 
Scriptures are largely the history of the persons whom he chose 
as his agents. The command " Teach all nations " is a recogni- 
tion of man's partnership in the work of evangelizing the world. 
The infinite uses the finite to influence the finite. Infinite power 
and grace are translated into finite terms through human person- 
ality. The desired results are purel^^ moral, and no power, even 
though infinite, can produce them except as it is transformed 
into moral influence. To the great mass of mankind this moral 
influence best comes through their fellows. The power of a great 
manufacrtory is the expansive force of the pent-up steam in its 
boilers; but only as that force is transmitted by cogs and belts, 
hopelessly powerless in themselves, to the various machines, 
does it set every wheel in motion and yield the desired products. 
The influence of neighbor on neighbor and of friend on friend, 
family and social ties, all these are but the cogs and belts by 
which the power of God is often transmitted. This is as true in 
the revival as in any other department of church work. No 
matter how spontaneous a revival may seem to be, a closer 
examination will reveal the human instruments, perhaps uncon- 
scious or even unwilling, through whom God w^orked; and in one 
way or another he immediately provides eflicient agents to carry 



INTRODUCTION", XV 

it on. Moreover God is pleased to have the results depend very 
largely, not only upon the faithfulness and zeal of his agents, but 
also upon their power and skill in moving and controlling men. 
Their mental power, their emotional natures, the force of their 
wills, their social ties or influence, nay even their physical force 
may become the channel through which the power and grace of 
God flow into the lives of men. 

So far from there being any antagonism between divine power 
and the human instrument, the highest results are obtained by 
their fullest cooperation. Beyond question God could work 
alone, but he does not choose to do so. When man works alone 
trusting to his own wisdom and methods his failure is disastrous. 
But when men consecrate to God their physical, mental, and 
spiritual powers, their eloquence and executive talents, their tadl 
and fertility in expedients, all they have and are, he accepts these 
gifts which he had first given them for this very purpose, and 
vitalizes and renders them unspeakably more efficient by the 
anointing of the Spirit. As the disciples went forth and preached 
everywhere, the lyord worked with them and confirmed the word 
with signs following. The love is divine, the methods of apply- 
ing it to human needs are human, and there is no rivalry between 
them. As well might the air and the flying birds enter into a 
controversy over the credit for its speed. God may convicft and 
convert individuals and communities without intermediate human 
agency, even as the storm might carry the bird with unspread 
wings; but storm driven birds are the exception not the rule, and 
even they will go faster and further if their wings are outspread. 

In the third place this conception of the revival rests upon the 
truth that it is the result of a wise application and adaptation of 
the laws of mind and spirit, and not a miracle contradicting or 
suspending those laws. They become the channels through 
which the power of God becomes available to men in the pros- 
ecution of his work. For in revival work we are not engaged as 
some seem to think in something outside the laws of cause and 



XVI INTRODUCTION. 

effecfl, something without rule or order, in which the divine will 
works arbitrarily, but in a realm of law none the less definite and 
fixed that it is spiritual. There are laws of faith and prayer and 
love in the spiritual world just as there are laws of motion in the 
physical. Nay more, there is an interaction between the laws of 
the physical, mental, and spiritual realms, which, while it adds 
great complexity to the problem, also gives a wider range for the 
exercise of skill and tadl in applying them to the needs of the 
revival. The laws and instincfls of man's animal nature, ordained 
as they are of God, are not too low to receive consideration of the 
skillful revival worker. No matter what his theories may be, 
every successful revivalist studies carefully the best methods of 
impressing the minds of men, and of controlling those affec5lions 
and motives which most powerfully afifecft their wills. In the less 
thoroughly explored psychical and spiritual realm of man's nature, 
he trusts his intuitions, his sublimated common sense, and uses 
and applies laws he would find unconquerable difficulty in formu- 
lating. Everywhere, consciously or unconsciously, with set 
purpose or spontaneously, revivalists are using all these laws 
under the guidance and inspiration of God, and accomplishing 
his blessed purposes. San(5lified skill and wisdom not only have 
a place in the economy of God's kingdom, but a high place, as 
the history of the Christian church abundantly illustrates. 

A revival therefore is the result of harmonious cooperation, 
God supplying the working power and man the means of apply- 
ing it. It is produced according to and by the application of 
given religious, spiritual, mental, and physical laws, all of which 
are instituted of God. When God's conditions as formulated in 
these laws are met, the results will appear in the quickening of 
the church and the conversion of sinners. 



GETTING READY FOR A REVIVAL 



p^jPi.:E^T I. 
THE PREACHER'S PREPARATION. 



CHAPTER I. 

STUDYING THE SITUATION, 

If it is worth one's while to spend years in preparing 
for the ministry, or to give hours and even days to the 
preparation of a single sermon, it certainly is fitting to 
devote weeks and even months to preparing for the revi- 
val, the harvest and consummation of the year. In point 
of fadl in no other branch of church work is previous 
preparation so important, or so diredlly remunerative. 
When a general begins a campaign he seeks information 
of the utmost possible accuracy with regard to the geo- 
graphical and topographical features of the country 
which is likely to be the seat of war. By various means 
he seeks to discover the vStrength of the enemy, the 

17 



18 GETTING READY 

novement and disposition of his forces, and his probable 
plans. He makes an accurate estimate of the forces at 
his own command, and studies their points of strength 
and of weakness. He arranges for the proper supply of 
food, of ammunition, and of other necessities; in short, 
he provides for every possible exigency. After a careful 
survey of all the conditions affedling the case, he prepares 
a thoroughly matured plan of operations, which, with the 
inevitable modifications made necessary by unforeseen 
circumstances, will govern his army and largely decide 
results. A revival is a campaign, and requires the same 
study, planning, and preparation of resources Many a 
battle is lost before it begins ; many a revival service is a 
failure before it is announced. How often a preacher in 
the evangelistic churches, feeling that a protracfled meet- 
ing is expe<fled of him, and finding the proper season at 
hand, announces such a meeting at a given date. At the 
appointed time the ser\dce begins, but the preacher is cold, 
and the church, if possible, is colder stilL The outside 
world is too indifierent to attend. It takes a week to rouse 
the preacher, a second is needed to raise the spiritual tem- 
perature among the church members. At the end of the 
third week, when pastor and people are giving signs of 
phj^sical exhaustion, sinners are getting interested and a 
few are under convidtion. Perhaps the revival closes 



FOR A REVIVAI.^ 



19 



^ith simply this unfulfilled promise of results, or, if it 
continues, it is not until the fourth week is nearly gone 
that the work of salvation begins in earnest. Owing to 
extreme weariness, or to other engagements of the pastor, 
the meeting soon closes with only a partial vi(5lor3^ The 
secret of this waste of time and labor, nine cases out of 
ten, is inadequate preparation. The preacher is not ready, 
the church is not read}^ and, equally fatal, sinners are 
not ready. 

Dr Porter used to say that where there v/as uo revival 
the preacher was the greatest obstacle , and he confessed 
that his own early ministry was at fault. In view of 
the awful responsibilities resting upon him for the souls 
of men, the preacher is under peculiar obligations to pre- 
pare himself in knowledge, feeling, and purpose, in bod}^ 
mind, and soul, for this aggressive work. Whatever the 
condition of his people or the attitude of the unsaved 
may be, the preacher should bring to the very first service 
the fullest possible preparation. If he is in proper condi- 
tion he will soon give the keynote to the meeting, and 
the desired results will speedily follow. With a thorough 
knowledge of the situation in and out of the church, he 
knows what is to be done. Having made a stud}- of the 
best methods of revival work and gathered materials, he 
knows how it is to be dorie. By study of the word of 



20 GETTING READY 

God, by pra3^er and faith and love he has \Yon the power 
by which he is to do it. The thoroughl}^ prepared 
preacher is invincible; his victory is assured. 

That the pastor should comprehend the situation is 
exceedingly important. Without this comprehension 
his work will largely be a groping in the dark. It is 
worse than folly to expecT: the Holy Spirit to teach him 
what he can learn by his own efforts. But this study of 
environing conditions wnll take time; indeed, it is aw^ork 
that is never completely done. It requires a steady 
observation from which nothing escapes, a faculty for 
drawing correcfl and important inferences from small fadts 
of seemingly little value, a knowledge of human nature 
w^hich reads the motives and purposes of men. By 
inquiry and observation the preacher should possess 
himself of at least the leading and most influential fadls 
of the general situation. 

I. In the first place the pastor should thoroughly 
know himself. The range of his physical powder and 
capacity for endurance, the dangers to his health and 
vigor, ought to be definitely known. Owing to a lack of 
this physical self-knowledge many a pastor has been 
prostrated in the midst of a prosperous meeting, which 
then of necessity closed. 

A careful review of his mental gifts, wnth a keen eye 
for his weaknesses and limitations, has its value. The 



FOR A RKVIV\Iv. 21 

unimpassioned logical preacher needs to know his lack 
of emotional power. The powerful preacher must learn 
his want of executive ability, A humble, unegotistical 
study of one's gifts in order to use them for God to the 
greatest advantage is a Christian duty. If the servant 
with five talents had allowed himself to believe he had 
but two, and had managed accordingly, his lord would 
hardly have praised him for the modesty that cost him 
an increase of three talents. On the other hand, his 
management would have been equally unsuccessful had 
he proceeded on the false and proud basis of a capital of 
ten talents. 

The preacher should have an accurate knowledge of his 
own spiritual condition Watching for the souls of 
his flock, a pastor sometimes negledls to watch for his 
own His consecration in certain lines ma^^ be complete, 
and wholly wanting in others not so conspicuous. He 
may mistake the earnestness of habit, an acquired power 
of warming up to his work, a professional earnestness 
shared by him in common with men in other professions, 
for the true religious earnestness His faith may simply 
be a form of self-confidence, his love simpl}' good-nature, 
A realization of his condition in the sight of God is a 
fundamental necessit3\ Ignorance here makes success 
very doubtful 



22 GETTING RKADY 

2. Every community is an organized unit with. an. 
individuality all its own. Within certain bounds it has 
logical, emotional, and volitional laws peculiar to itself. 
It has idiosyncrasies and whims, pet ideas and opinions, 
which must be rejpecfted and considered, if no offense is 
to Idc given. It has peculiar laws of propriety, social, 
moral and religious, which it would be hazardous to out- 
rage. Some communities are sedate in their religious^ 
life, a few from principle, others by mere force of habit 
and inertia Other communities are demonstrative and 
given to religious excitements. One community needs 
argument, another a vivid, imaginative presentation of 
truth, another still can be moved only by an appeal to its 
sensibilities, while still another can be helped by the 
application of a strong will force from without. A clear 
apprehension of the characfteristic traits of a community 
-will be a great help to the preacher in the adaptation of 
his means and methods to their needs. 

While the church will share the traits which charadler- 
ize the community, it will have in addition peculiarities 
of its own, which need consideration. There will be 
prejudices for or against certain methods of work, and 
certain forms of religious life, whicii laasc be utilized 
avoided, or removed. Peculiar ideas of Christian life and 
work will more or less prevail, and exert an influence 



FOR A REVIVAL. 2^ 

for good or evil. In one church there is a shrinking 
from public testimony, in another from prayer, in another 
these are made the whole of the religious life and 
teaching is ignored. Every church has its peculiar weak- 
nesses from which danger is to be feared. It also has its 
peculiar strength to be used to the best advantage. 

The relations which exist among the individual mem- 
bers should be well understood. Certain lines of cleavage, 
based on congeniality of character and tastes, not incom^ 
patible with Christian love, govern the crystallization of 
the social life of the church. While not only inevitable 
but proper, they need watching lest by undue emphasis 
they promote division and strife. Every church has its 
leaders each of whom has influence over a certain number 
of his fellow members. If any members are indifferent or 
backslidden it is important to know whose cooperation 
in their restoration will be most helpful. In the 
very nature of things there will be a certain amount of 
incompatibility between some of the members of the 
society; an accurate knowledge of the degree and the 
causes vShould be sought. Should there be positive ill- 
will, or a quarrel of old standing, a quiet, unobserved, 
utterly unbiased investigation needs to be made by the 
pavStor, if for no other reason, for his own guidance in the 
management of the church. 



24 GETTING READY 

The vStanding in the community of each Christian 
should be more or less definitely known. Occasionally 
there are those who stand high in the church, and some- 
times deservedly so, who have lost their influence in 
the community. A knowledge of this will diredl the 
use to be made of them. Inconsistent Christians often 
have so deleterious an influence upon the world that 
it is better to refuse to use them publicly until they 
make public confession and set their wrong-doing 
right as far as that may be possible. In a meeting 
held some years ago by the waiter, two of the most 
acftive workers were afterward discovered by him to 
be persons of the most unsavory reputation and they 
were expelled. The harm the}^ had done who can 
measure? Again, the true value of some of the less self- 
assertive members is often underestimated. They need 
to be brought out and their influence in the community 
utilized. Dr. Cuyler very wisely remarks, ''The only 
people in our churches who really do much good are those 
who have established a confidence in their own sincerity, 
and who get credit for a disinterested benevolence. 
Ungodly persons will sometimes phrase their opinions of 

church members on this wise : ^ I believe in Mr. A . 

He pays his debts, and he came to sit up with me when 
I was sickc He's no Pharisee/ Now such a Mr. A 



FOR A REVIVAI,. 25 

is the only one who havS sufficiently won the confidence 
of impenitent people to win them over to Christ. No 
others need make the attempt ' ' 

The pastor must know the amount and nature of the 
talents of each individual member. In the average 
church one-half of its ability is still undeveloped. A 
few leading spirits are allowed to overwork their talents 
until they get the church into a rut, while the less for- 
ward members of perhaps equal capacity lie fallow and 
useless. These undeveloped workers are to be studied 
and their real power estimated. One is not much of a 
speaker but is apt in quoting striking and pertinent 
texts. Another can always be depended upon for some 
fresh and impressive remarks, full of suggestiveness and 
power. Still another has less intelledlual vigor but a 
more enthusiastic style which moves the people. An- 
other is tender and melting, quick to stir sensibilities. 
I once had a worker who rarely spoke, but when he did 
he put so much of feeling and power into it that it 
invariably gave the meeting a new start. Some cannot 
be utilized to any special advantage as talkers, but can 
pray with undtion and power. One can pra}" in the quiet 
prayer-meeting with good efifedl, but is not so valual)le in 
the more i'tirring revival meeting; while another can do 
his best only under the inspiration of the latter service. 



26 GETTING READY 

There may be a number in the church who have no gifts 
for public efforts, but are effective in personal, private 
work. Another class is mighty in secret prayer, in 
unwavering faith, and has power with God if not with 
man. By family and social ties, or by personal influence, 
every Christian has powder over some outsiders. It is 
peculiarly important that the persons over whom it can 
be exerted and its extent be known to the pastor. Its 
use often turns the critical point in a sinner's case, while 
a mistake may do irreparable injury. It may be safely 
said that no Christian lacks the one talent, and the wise 
pastor seeks to know its nature and where and how to use 
it. A just faith in the ability of his people opens great 
resources to the tadlful preacher. Over-estimation will 
do less harm than under-estimation, although both, of 
course, are to be avoided. By personal observation, by 
seemingly incidental inquiry among the members, and 
by adlual experiment, the value of each member for 
religious work may be quietly but accurately ascertained. 
The relations of the church to the outside world are 
also a proper subjecl; of investigation. Churches differ 
in their public influence even as do individuals. By a 
seeming indifference to the outside world, by the incon- 
sistencies of its members as manifested in their business 
and social life, or even in the church life itself, or by a 



FOR A RE:vIVAI.. 2/ 

lack of religious vitality, chtirchevS sometimes lose the 
respedl of the comm.unity. Again, by indiscreet man- 
agement, or by unavoidable circumstances, an ant agon ivSm 
has arisen between the church and the unsaved part of 
the community. Some churches are robbed of their 
religious influence by their high social standing, others 
by their utter lack of it. Churches often lose their hold 
upon the world by their lack of enterprise and aggress- 
iveness in the temporal aspecfts of church life. All these 
and other kindred fadts the pastor should know, that he 
may use the advantages and neutralize the disadvantages 
they represent. 

Every church appeals to a fairly defined constituency 
in the community that is peculiarly its own. Its spirit 
and methods of work, its social and mental culture, its 
undefinable indi«viduality, attra(5l certain elements in the 
community more strongly than they do others. It is 
important that the pastor know not only this con- 
stituency and its ruling ideas, but also what elements in 
the life of the church attradl it, in order that he may on 
the one hand adapt his methods and direcfl the life of the 
church so as to strengthen these bonds and use them for 
drawing the unsaved part of this constituency into the 
kingdom and into the church, and on the other to so add 
to the* power of the church as to increase its constituency 
and influence. 



28 GETTING READY 

3. EvSsential as it is for a general to know his own 
rescuTces, it is equall}' so to know those of the enem}'. 
A spiritual general needs to know the opposing forces 
with which he has to contend. What are the prevalent 
forms of sin and ^nce in the community- ? To awaken the 
conscience of the people, the actual concrete sins of 
which it has been guilt}' must be exposed and set forth 
in their true light. Bspeciall}^ should the lives of those 
whose attendance is to be expedled at the special services 
be thoroughly known to the preacher, not for purposes 
of personal or even indirect denunciation w^hich would 
only antagonize and revolt, but as an assumption of the 
true state of the case which shall justif^^ the truth pre- 
sented and its application to that case. 

The ideals of Christian life, the conceptions of Chris- 
tian dodlrine, the arguments brought to bear against the 
Christian religion and the church, the cause and extent 
of any antagonisms or resentment against the church 
and the truth, which obtain in the sinner's mind, should 
all be known to the preacher as far as may be possible. 
Once he is able to put himself in thought into the atti- 
tude of the sinner and get his point of view, he will find 
the great advantage to be not so much the mere answer- 
ing of objections or the correction of misapprehensions, 
as the abilit}' to put the truth in a form that will take 



FOR A REVIVAL. 29 

"hold Upon the mind of the sinner. The power of Mr. 
Jones, and of many evangelists and ministers whose past 
lives of sin seem to be strangely enough an advantage to 
their present blessed work, has been in no small measure 
due to their ability to read the sinner's thoughts, to give 
form to his ideas, and to put the truth into the language 
which ' ' finds ' ' him. 

The social organization among the unsaved is another 
important study. A wise pastor became acquainted with 
the youngest member of a class of seven young men 
who were studying in a selecft school, and succeeded in 
leading him to Christ. Through him he gradually 
became acquainted with the other six and one by one led 
them to accept Christ as their Savior. One Sabbath 
morning coming down from the pulpit, he approached a 
circle of young men, when one of them exclaimed, 
*'Here we are, our old class of seven, all united to 
Christ!'* By deftly using the social bonds that united 
them he won them all when many another pastor would 
have been satisfied with the first alone. 

Single out the leaders and study them. Learn the 
characfter and extent of their influence both with refer- 
ence to the persons influenced and its controlling power 
Ferret out their weak points and the susceptibilities of 
their natures to religious truth. An accurate knowledge 



30 GETTING READY 

of these leaders and the proper adaptation of means and 
methods for reaching them will under God sweep the 
community. 

A definite knowledge of the exa(5l number and where- 
abouts of the unsaved ought also to be obtained. A 
canvass of the Sunda^^-school for the purpose of obtain- 
ing a full and accurate list of the unsaved persons in the 
school should earh' be made. The record should be kept 
by classes under the names of the teachers, as the coop- 
eration of the latter will be needed. At the same time 
the name, residence, and spiritual condition of the par- 
ents may be learned, as through the child the parents ma}" 
often be won. In a country neighborhood the name and 
residence of every famil}' in which there are unconverted 
persons, within a radius of three miles, should be 
obtained by personal visitation and inquiry, and each 
individual name kept recorded. In the village or cit}' a 
thorough house to house canvass should be made, taking 
the name of at least every famil}", if not of ever}' indi- 
vidual, and a permanent record made of their spiritual 
condition, and of their church and Sunda}'- school rela- 
tions In general it would be better that the pastor 
himself make this canvass as he will learn many helpful 
things that another person cannot put on record for him. 
Yet in some few places the rivalry between the different 



FOR A REVIVAL. 3 1 

denominations, or a peculiar public sentiment, may make 
it more advisable to send some other discreet and com- 
petent person to perform the work, doing it in a more 
secular and business-like way. It may also be done b}' 
a committee of the members, but while this method has 
its advantages it has also all the disadvantages under 
wrhich the pastor would labor, and the unity and likely 
the accuracy of the work would be impaired. 

A regular canvass book ought to be prepared, which 
can be done at the cost of only a few dollars An oblong 
book, perhaps eight by ten inches, will be the most con- 
veniente The following fadls are certainly important: 
name in full, street and number of residence, number in 
family, church relations if any, number unconverted, 
and number of children not in Sunday-school; a space 
should also be left for remarks in which other fadls ma}' 
be noted. If this canvass is thoroughly and accurateh' 
made, the book becomes a record of the religious condi- 
tion of the people such as can be gained in no other wa^'. 
From this record an abstra(5l of the families who are 
without church relations can easily be made, the list 
being systemized geographically for future convenience. 
If the pastor has made the canvass himself he can make 
out a further list of individuals in Christian homes who 
remain unconverted and who may seem accessible. With 



^2 GETTING READY 

these lists in hand the pastor knows exacftly what he has 
to do, and can arrange his plans accordingly. The value 
of such a canvass is simply not to be overestimated. The 
pastor who has once given it a thorough trial will never 
again consent to work in a community on the haphazard, 
accidental plan. 



FOR A REVIVAL, 33 



CHAPTER II. 

PREPARING MKANS AND METHODS. 

During a revival tlie preacher is so taken up between 
services with pastoral duties among Christians and the 
unsaved, that little leisure remains for study and medita- 
tioUc It is quite essential, therefore, to the best work in 
the pulpit, that an ample amount of homiletical material 
shall have been previously gathered. While the natural 
excitement of the work, and the inspiration of the Holy 
Spirit, will quicken the memory, and vivify the imagina- 
tion, it is a mistake to rely on these alone. The Holy 
Spirit often gives a clearer insight into a truth and opens 
out relations between certain fads not before seen, but 
the truth and the fadls had previously been stored away 
in the memory x\s a general rule he employs the men- 
tal resources already accumulated. If he is to have a 
wide range of materials from which to seledl the most 
timely and effedlive text, thought, or illustration, it is 
necessary that the mind be previously well furnished. 

I. Other things being equal, the freshest and most 
striking text will produce the freshest and most striking 

3 



34 GETTING READY 

sermon. A fresh text presents the old truths from a new 
point of view, and offers fresh lines of thought and forms 
of expression. It arrests the attention and provokes the 
intellectual interest which precedes spiritual interest. A 
happy text often accomplishes more than the sermon 
which follows. But such texts are not revealed b}^ an 
arbitrar}^ inspiration of the H0I3" Spirit. The}^ must be 
sought with care. In looking over a number of lists of 
the texts used b}' various preachers, it is astonishing 
to find how little they vsry. It is safe to say that one-half 
the revival preaching in our churches rests on less than 
one hundred texts. The consequence is that year after 
year approximatel}^ the same series of texts and the same 
lines of thought fall upon the ears of the unsaved. Ser- 
mons have power b}^ the general impression the}' leave 
rather than by an}" definite logical idea the}^ impress upon 
the memory. The repetition of ideas ma}' not be noticed 
by the hearer, but unconsciously a callousness of mind 
and heart is produced by the repetition of the impression, 
and susceptibility is destroyed without absolute loss of 
the intellecftual interest. It is always important that the 
preacher be fresh, but in the revival ser^^ice it is an abso- 
lute necessity that he leave the beaten track, finding 
things new as well as old in the treasury of the Word. 
But in order to do this there must be previous provision. 



FOR A REVIVAL. 35 

In his study of the Scriptures during the year ever}' 
text that strikes the preacher as adapted for revival work 
should be noted and a record made of the line of thought 
it suggested. In like manner the more extended readings 
for exposition and the chief points they present should 
be preserved for use in day services and other fitting 
occasions. To make them more accessible, these texts 
and readings should be classified. The condition of the 
meeting requiring seemingly a given theme, the record 
under that subjedl will yield not only a fresh and perti- 
nent text, but also many collateral scriptures for proof 
and illustration. The recorded sermon outline can in a 
few moments be adapted to the needs of the hour, and in 
a little while a discourse is prepared that without pre- 
vious gathering of materials would have required a whole 
day of study. In this way the proper amount of time 
can be devoted to the pastoral work, — the private preach- 
ing that is often so effed:ive, — and to that personal 
religious preparation and accumulation of religious and 
divine power which is so essential, without the haunting 
fear that the pulpit work is suffering. 

2. Its lack of illustrations robs many an otherwise, 
powerful discourse of its edge. A telling anecdote 
clinches the nail which the hammer of logic has driven. 
The abstract becomes flesh, as it were, in the anecdote, 



36 GETTING READY 

is translated into concrete terms which the imagination 
can grasp. As the first aim of revival preaching is to 
awaken a keen realization of spiritual truth as acT;ual and 
tangible, it ought by all means to abound in anecdotes 
and illustrations. But there is no leisure for seeking 
illustrations during a revival. Most preachers depend 
upon their memories to call up comparisons and anecdotes 
which thej^ ha^e casually" read in various periodicals. 
The memories of some men will not suffer a striking 
illustration to escape however hastily it may have been 
read. But these anecdotal geniuses are rare. The number 
of anecdotes the memory of the average preacher will 
retain and jaeld at the fitting season is very small, and 
most men must be content to reinforce their memories 
with carefully kept records and sj^stemized scrap-books. 

Not ever^^ illustration or anecdote that is valuable for a 
regular discourse is fitted for the revival sermon. To 
adorn, to explain, or to prove, the ordinary uses of illus- 
tration, they still have a place, but they are subordinated 
to the purpose of reaching the will by impressing the 
feelings and waking the emotions of the hearer. Its 
appeal to the heart is the final test of the value of an illus- 
tration for revival purposes. 

Tried by this test there is a change from, the standards 
obtaining for regular discourses in the relative impor- 



FOR A REVIVAL. 2>7 

tance of illustrations. INIere dignity and beauty taking 
the lowermost seats and being but little considered, 
whole classes of illustrations, scientific and historical, 
are ruled out as worthy of only the rarest use. The rela- 
tive value of illustrations for proof also suffers a change, 
as those containing an emotional element are to be pre- 
ferred. In explanatory illustrations the appeal to the 
sympathies is even more emphasized and demanded. 
Added to these comes in a class of illustrations which 
usually have little place in dignified discourse, those 
which have no other objecfl than the touching of the 
heart, Logic here is not that of the head, but that of 
the heart, it is not the harmony of ideas but of feelings 
When one heart-string is set in motion its related accord- 
ant strings are thrilled as w^ell, and are prepared to 
respond more quickly and powerfully when their help is 
needed. Not so much the illustration of a thought as the 
preparation of the heart to receive a thought is here the 
legitimate purpose. 

While the anecdote is rarely accorded a place in the 
more dignified forms of discourse, it is peculiarly adapted 
to the use of the revival worker. It gives variet}^ and 
movement, and thus adds interest and chains the atten- 
tion, It appeals to the mind and heart of every class, 
young and old, cultured and illiterate. Adults are after 



38 GETTING READY 

all but grown-up children and have not out-grown their 
love for stories, as the numerous collections of ana in 
literary, scientific, artistic, and other fields of knowledge 
abundantU' testify. Even Disraeli confesses, " I have 
often found anecdotes of an author more interesting 
than his works." The anecdote brings an idea within 
the range of human s^-mpath}^ as no other form of illus- 
tration can. As violin answers to violin, so the heart 
responds to the history of the beating of other hearts. 
For revival purposes therefore the anecdote must remain 
the leading, and the most powerful and eifeclive form of 
illustration. 

In the seleclion of materials the following essential 
elements of an effective revival anecdote should be kept 
in view. 

I . It must be brief. Ever}^ detail which is unimportant^ 
or which the hearer can infer from the details already 
stated, ought to be omitted. During the progress of a 
long tale the attention of the hearer is wearied by the 
suspense of the mind uncertain of the connection to be 
established between the thought and its illustration; or 
what is worse, the idea to be emphasized is entirely' for- 
gotten. The progress of thought is broken, and the 
unity of the discourse destro^'ed, ^Moreover, it will 
occupy too large a part of the short revival discourse. 



FOR A REVIVAL. 39 

2. The anecdote must have point. No mere stringing 
together of details will be efFecftive. It must have unity, 
must make progress as it develops, and must culminate 
in some fadl, sentence, or phrase of such interest as to 
jUvStify its narration, and of such meaning as to mark a 
definite step in the development of the thought, or to 
produce an impression upon the sensibilities of the 
hearer. If the point is concentrated in a single phrase, 
it will be all the more incisive and valuable. 

3. Life and dramatic force are desirable elements in a 
revival anecdote. They afford a larger opportunity for 
the exercise of skill in the narration, and make the anec- 
dote more interesting to the hearer, and more impressive. 
This is the case however only when the immediate effect 
upon the will is desired. When the purpose is instrudlion, 
the more striking and interesting the illustration the 
more likely is the hearer to remember the illustration and 
forget the truth illustrated. 

4. A large proportion of revival anecdotes ought to 
make a direcl appeal to the sensibilities of the hearer. 
An appeal to the fundamental affections, — to the mutual 
love of parents and children, of brothers and sivSters, of 
husbands and wives, — rarely fails to meet a response. 
But the broader sympathies, — for children, for the heroic 
and brave, for the distressed in body or mind, — are 



40 GETTING READY 

hardly less responsive, and deser\^e the attention of the 
revival speaker. Anecdotes which stir the emotional 
nature, the sense of the beautiful, even, or of the sub- 
lime, which wake J03' or sadness, or generate enthusiasm, 
or put in motion any of the other aggressive emotions 
which can be utilized for moving the will to make a right 
choice, are extremely valuable, and should be sought 
with great diligence. Bverj' part of the sensibilities of 
the hearer may thus be played upon and used to afFe(5l 
the will, and induce its acftion in the desired diredlion. 

5. An anecdote to be useful must be fresh. An old 
anecdote awakens no interest in the hearer because the 
element of surprise has been eliminated. An unexpedled 
application of a well known incident, however, is pecu- 
liarly^ effedlive. The use of the stock anecdotes which 
are in every speaker's mouth can add little to the efifedl- 
iveness of a sermon. Their powder was burnt long ago, 
and their value is a thing of the past. A constant sup- 
pi}^ of fresh incidents must therefore be secured from the 
various sources the preacher may be able to command. 

The preacher's general reading ought to furnish a 
goodly amount of illustrative material. The religious 
press teems with valuable illustrations w4th the appro- 
priate applications. Even the secular press with its 
varied panorama of human life will offer a fruitful field 



FOR A REVIVAL. 4I 

to the thoughtful reader. Books of travel and histor^^ 
of biography and of historical and literary reminiscences 
will occasionally furnish an illustration of great value. 

Illustrations used by other preachers, whether gath- 
ered from their printed sermons or addresses, or from 
their lips, are lawful prizes, of course, and should be 
carefully preserved. And yet there must be some judg- 
ment exercised; a personal experience or observation 
may have been impressive and striking not because of 
inherent and objedtive value but because of the mingling 
of the personality of the speaker with it, and a repetition 
by any one else would prove a failure. 

But the best sources are personal experience and 
observation. Few men work this quarry as much as it 
deserves. Comparatively interesting incidents have a 
strange charm when related as personal knowledge. Com- 
ing to the people at first hand, there is a vitality about 
an anecdote which the speaker culls from his own expe- 
rience which all other illustrations lack. It is this 
•element which adds so much effecftiveness to INIoody's 
anecdotes. Few lives are so monotonous and barren as 
not to furnish a large number of interesting incidents 
and experiences. Nowhere will the keen homiletical eye 
discover more illustrative treasures than in the revival 
service itvSelf. Incidents, conversations, impressions, and 



4-2 GETTING READY 

other experiences and observations may be used imme- 
diately, or in future meetings with excellent results. It 
is fatal for most men to trust to their memories. The 
event is so striking, and the impression made upon the 
mind so vivid that one is sure that whatever else is for- 
gotten this certainly will be retained. But a week or 
two pass and it fades; it is an accident if it is ever called 
up again. Each day a short suggestive record should be 
made of such matter as promises to be useful in the 
future. The records of pastoral visitation during the 
year will add to this valuable store. Nor should any 
one be dissuaded from the use of these personal expe- 
riences and observations by the fear of being charged 
with egotism. Too great a fear of being considered ego- 
tistical only proves the charge well-founded. Nor should 
any self-conscious modesty lead the preacher to make the 
narration of his experiences impersonal, or to hide his 
participation in them, for by so doing he surrenders van- 
tage ground which he cannot afford to lose. One ought 
to learn to speak of his own experiences with as little 
self-consciousness as of those of other persons, and when 
that is done there will be no imputation of egotism. 

While of course a private collecftion gathered from 
many sources, private and public, is most valuable, 
cyclopedias of illustrations are not wholly to be despised. 



FOR A REVIVAL. 43 

They yield many illustrations whicli lie outside of the 
range of the reading and experience of the average 
preacher. Moody's anecdotes have been gathered up by 
various editors and are easily accessible, albeit somewhat 
threadbare and too generally known ' ' Cabinet of Illustra- 
tions," a little magazine once published by Howard 
Gannett, of Boston, is a rich gathering of illustrative 
materials bound volumes of which may be obtained by 
addressing the former publisher. "The Gospel Worker's 
Treasury," a collecftion of anecdotes, texts, themes and 
readings peculiarly adapted for revival work made by the 
writer, has been widely used. When a lack of means 
forbids many periodicals and books, or life gives small 
opportunity for varied experience or observation, they 
become absolutely indispensable. Indeed there are few 
preachers that can afford to ignore them altogether. 

There is no better source of illustration than the Bible 
itself. Its historical portions are a never- failing spring, 
if properly used. Many preachers fail to make scriptural 
illustrations interesting because they reduce them to a 
mere reference, or a dry narration of fadls. Nothing can 
be more interesting than a scriptural incident when the 
human heart beats in it again, when the kinship in feel- 
ing and thought of the ancients with ourselves is made 
to appear. I never shall forget the description I heard at 



44 GETTING READY 

a camp-meeting in Virginia of the return of Benjamin 
from Egypt and his meeting with Jacob, by a good and 
able minister whose fame as an eloquent preacher fills the 
Shenandoah Valley. For dramatic interest and moving 
pathos it far excelled any anecdote I ever heard from 
Moody's or any other man's lips. 

A careful record should be kept by the preacher of all 
such biblical incidents as seem to be fitted to illustrate 
revival themes in a living and dramatic way. 

Not only should illustrations be sought for the sermon, 
but for the song as well. An efFedlive anecdote pertinent 
to the leading sentiment of a hymn doubles its value as 
a part of the revival service. It calls attention to the 
thought and prevents the people from singing it in a 
purely mechanical and thoughtless way. These anec- 
dotes need to be provided previously even more carefully 
than those intended for the sermon, and should be 
recorded with the hymns they are fitted to illustrate. It 
is a good plan to write the titles of these illustrative 
anecdotes over their respedtive hymns in the hymn-book 
used by the preacher, in order that they may always be 
at hand when needed. 

The record of illustrations gathered from all sources 
should be thoroughly systemized, so that as the materials 
accumulate they will always be classified, and so more 



FOR A REVIVAL. 45 

accessible to the preacher. Otherwise the records will be 
in chaotic confusion, and when he washes illustrations 
for a given theme he must search through the whole col- 
ledlion. If the record be kept in a book a certain 
number of pages may be allotted to each general subjedl, 
and the illustrations entered under their respecftive sub- 
jects. As a large proportion of the gathered matter will 
be in the shape of clippings, a better way will perhaps 
be to use a letter file made of vStrong manilla paper with 
a compartment for each letter of the alphabet which may 
be obtained of almost any stationer. To each of these 
compartments a subjecft may be assigned, and the scraps 
distributed as they are gathered. Illustrations found in 
books or gathered from oral or personal sources can be 
copied on slips of paper adapted to the size of the file. 
** Breed's Portfolio Scrap-Book," published by Merrill, 
Hubbard & Co., Indianapolis, Ind., is very convenient, 
as is also the more elaborate ** Supplemental Encyclo- 
pedia,*' of Crafts, issued by Funk & Wagnalls. What- 
ever the plan, it is important that the preacher's mater- 
ials be classified and accessible at a moment's notice. 

3. Careful provision niUvSt be made for the songs to be 
used during the meeting that is to be held. It will not 
do to trUvSt to the spontaneous development of the song 
service, nor to the fadl that a book is already provided. 



46 ge:tting re:ady 

The resources of that book must be under immediate 
command, that sele(5lions appropriate to the feeling of 
the meeting may be quickly made. A variety of songs 
of invitation will be needed. Songs of consecration for 
the opening of the services are important. Songs that 
have the ring of vidlory in them, and begetting faith and 
enthusiasm must be provided. If the proper musical 
help is at hand, solos, duets, or quartettes may be 
seledled. Hymns of eternity, judgment, or the destiny 
of the impenitent dead are particularly effedlive rendered 
in this way. The numbers of these various h^^mns 
should be committed to memory in order that the 
preacher may announce the appropriate hymn at once 
without turning to the book. It may be that the book 
that has been in use is worn out, and it would be wiser 
to procure something fresher and more striking, or some 
small book may be procured to supplement the one in 
use. In the seledlion of such a book three things should 
be kept in mind: the book must cover the range of sub- 
jedls required and furnish useful popular songs in each 
line of thought; it should at least contain the words of 
the standard revival songs without which the song ele- 
ment of any revival meeting would be crippled; and it 
should furnish a goodl}^ number of new songs of a thor- 
oughly popular charadter, with a striking sentiment 



FOR A REJVIVAI,. 47 

easily understood, and with music so easy that the 
science of music may be forgotten after they have been 
sung a few times, and so taking that the people will be 
inclined to sing them spontaneously. 

It is exceedingly important that these musical matters 
be not negle(5led as they are too often done. That the 
preacher has no musical knowledge or skill does not 
excuse him. He must seek the counsel of competent 
persons in or out of the community with reference to the 
seledlion of the book, and when the book is seledled he 
certainly can study its hymns and learn their value and 
availability. In this the assistance of the person to 
whom he must look for the diredlion of the music during 
the meeting ought to be sought. He must thus become 
master of the spiritual side of the song service even if he 
may not be competent to diredt the music in person. 

4. The success of a revival often depends more on the 
management than it does on the preaching. Every single 
service presents in one form or another a new exigency 
and demands some new adaptation of methods. It is 
important, therefore, that the preacher have large 
resources in ways of working. While some men are 
gifted with a t)eculiar adaptability and almost without 
set purpose or consciousness produce the method the 
requirements of the moment demand, most men must 



48 GETTIXG READY 

make a study of the art of revival management, and 
store their minds with a large variety of methods. The 
proper conditions for the application of a method and 
the ends to be reached by it must be fully understood, or 
it cannot be used intelligentl3\ How to adapt it to 
var^'ing conditions will be another important point for 
study. An anal3"sis of each method should be made in 
order to get at the general principle underlying it. It 
will likely be founded upon some fadt in human nature, 
and it is well to know just what that fadl is. With a 
clear comprehension of the general principles underlying 
revival methods, the preacher will have little difficulty in 
adapting them to the Yarying needs of his meeting. But 
he will none the less have occasion to study the develop- 
ment and application of those principles. No detail in 
the management of revivals should be too small to 
attract his attention, or wake his intelligent interest. A 
general principle is valueless until it is embodied in 
details, and the omission of some detail may take away 
the condndtor by which the power of that general princi- 
ple was to be applied to the need of the moment. 

This study of methods has a double effecl. It yields 
definite plans according to which one can work and which 
both direiflly and by the conscious application of general 
principles which underlie them suggest other and fresher 



FOR A REVIVAL. 49 

plans; it also develops the executive talents of the 
preacher and helps him aided by the insight into the sit- 
uation it brings to form radically new methods by which 
to meet the demands of a new situation. 

The methods used by successful revivalists, whether 
evangelists or pastors should be observed and studied 
with care. There are few ministers who have been suc- 
cessful who cannot furnish some new way of working. 
The records of the work of great evangelists like Finney, 
Nettleton, Earle. Hammond, Moody, or Jones will furn- 
ish valuable suggestions. Care should be taken to study 
the underlying principles of the methods of evangelists 
rather than to copy the details of the methods them- 
selves. Many of their ways of working are not at all 
adapted to the use of the regular pastor. Their attitude 
towards and relation to the people are quite different 
from those of the pastor, and they can apply methods 
and risk results which would be fraught with danger to 
him. Indeed it is not safe to copy any man's methods, 
as they might prove Sauline armor which would only 
encumber. Every book on the vSubjecft, whether historical 
or pradlical, on which the preacher can lay his hand 
should be read. The literature on this subjecfl is growing 
rapidly, and is becoming more useful and pra(5lical. 



50 GETTIXG READY 

Finney's Autobiograph}', Karle's '* Bringing in Sheaves, '* 
Hammond's '* Reaper and tlie Harv^est," Parker's **Fire 
and Hammer," Graves' ''Life and Sermons," and the 
Memoirs of Peter Cartwright, are all most inspiring and 
helpful. Among books of a more pracftical nature, Fin- 
ney's "Revival Lectures," Kirk's "Ledlures on Revivals," 
Fish's "Hand-book of Revivals," Newell's "Revivals, 
How and When," and Her^^ey's "Manual of Revivals," 
are most useful. Most treatises on pastoral theolog^^^ 
contain excellent hints. By personal observations of 
others, and by reading the best books on the subjecl a 
great deal of useful information may be gathered that 
will be very helpful in the progress of the meeting. 

It should be remarked here that all this accumulation 
of texts, Scripture readings, illustrations, and methods, 
has little value if it is onl}- a mechanical aggregation. 
A large blank book crowded with the record of these 
gathered treasures may prove only an unhapp}^ embar- 
rassment of riches, a snare and an encumbrance. Diges- 
tion and assimilation must follow aggregation. This 
gathered material must be so thoroughly" appropriated 
that its use becomes spontaneous, and the individuality^ 
of the speaker impressed upon its form and manner of 
use. Week after week the preacher must go over his 



FOR A re;vival. 51 

gathered treasures until he has absorbed them, and the}' 
become a part of his mental furniture. While this is 
eminently true of Scripture texts and readings and of 
illustrations, it is even more true of the methods of work; 
unless they are permeated with the preacher's individu- 
ality, adapted to his idiosyncrasies and limitations, they 
will be but dead forms and worse than useless. 



52 GETTIXG READY 



CHAPTER III. 



SPIRITUAL PREPARATIOX. 



INIan}' preachers imagine themselves to be always 
read}' for a revival. In their secret and public devotions 
the}' have jo3'ful access to God; their trust in him is firm 
and their peace of mind unruffled; and in view of these 
facis they presume themselves to be in a proper state of 
grace for revival work. No greater mistake can be made. 
It is a special work requiring special grace, and special 
spiritual preparation must be made. The spiritual 
strength of the pastor is not sufficient when he assumes 
the function of the evangelist. God does not waste his 
grace but grants it to the faithful worker according to 
the work he assigns him. The sermon which the 
preacher is moved to deliver for the instruction and edifi- 
cation of God's people will have a gentle grace, while 
the revival discourse intended to break the hearts and 
move the wills of sinners must have rending grace. To 
wake the dead is a greater task than to nourish the liv- 
ing. In this aggressive campaign there is necessary a 
concentration of spiritual resources, an energizing of the 



FOR A RE:VIVAI.. 53 

soul, an intensification and sublimation of the powers for 
which there would be little use in the regular work of the 
church, and which, indeed, the body could not long sus- 
tain. There must be a clear-ej^ed insight into divine 
truth, an openness of soul to divine influences, an utter 
submissiveness to divine direction, found only on the 
Mount of Transfiguration. This spiritual preparation is 
rarely a spontaneous gift of God, but must be sought, 
and this element of desire and choice only adds to its 
moral value. 

I. The first step in the spiritual preparation of the 
preacher will be to reach a fixed determination to have a 
revival. Whatever the power of the will may be over 
others, there can be no doubt of the tremendous influ- 
ence of a set resolve upon the individual himself. If the 
young minister in entering upon a new field of labor to 
which he has been called b}^ the conference, or by the 
voice of the congregation itself, will decide that he will 
and must have a revival, cost what it maj^ of labor and 
sacrifice, he has already taken a long step towards the 
realization of that divine ambition. It will influence his 
whole attitude towards the people among whom he comes. 
Round that decision all his experiences, his rapidly accu- 
mulating knowledge, his judgment of the man}' new 
acquaintances he is making, and the relations he will 



54 GETTING READY 

sustain to them will crystallize and take form. It will 
decide what he shall see and what he shall overlook; it 
will give purpose to his every movement and sound the 
key-note of the opening pastorate in the ears of his peo- 
ple and prepare them for the coming vidlory; it will 
associate the idea of revival with every phase of the 
church life and so shape his every plan and measure, and 
charadlerize all his preaching. While such a resolve 
may carry more hopefulness and enthusiasm wdth it in 
the first year of a pastor's ministry, when the difficulties 
of the situation have not grown all too familiar and the 
faith depressed, it is even more important that it be made 
each succeeding year. There is in such a determination^ 
particularly if the underlying motives are what they 
should be, a moral value that God cannot but honor. But 
it must be something more than a desire ; the whole soul 
must be concentrated in it. It must be the edicfb of the 
kingly will which cannot be changed or repealed. It 
must be so fixed that obstacles will only be an inspira- 
tion, and hindrances a help. Toil and labor, sacrifice 
and pain, will be but its meat and drink, adding power 
and insuring vicftory. 

Dr. Newell relates the case of two class-mates who 
were called to be pastors. The one, who was a genius, 
proposed to preach great sermons, but lacked faith and 



FOR A REVIVAL. 55 

point, and concentration of purpOvSe and power. His 
minivStry was completely barren. The very first day that 
the other young pastor looked down upon his congrega- 
tion he said to himself: ''These are my dear people. I 
am responsible for their souls; and, God helping me, 
they shall be won to Christ." And so he gave himself to 
the work. He prepared his own soul. He aroused the 
sympathy and co-operation of the church. He made 
the Sabbath-school, the meetings of the week, and the 
personal interviews exceedingly interesting and impress- 
ive. **He loved the souls of his people. He adopted the 
most appropriate revival methods. His whole soul was 
fixed on one resolve. True, mighty obstacles arose. 
True, there were groans and tears and a wasting away 
of human flesh. There were fiery zeal and pointed 
words. There was a purpose that would not yield; and 
so, in his utter helplessness, he came into wrestling 
contadt with the Almighty Helper, and the blessing 
came.'* 

2. The preacher must win a realization of scripture 
truth as adlual and concrete. An element of abstracftion 
mingles itself unconsciously with all our conceptions of 
divine truth and robs it of its moving power. We 
calmly reason and placidly preach about dodtrines which 
would vSet us on fire if we had anv realizincr sense of their 



56 GETTING READY 

meaning. They need to be taken out of their abstradl 
and purely objeclive form and seen in their concrete and 
subjective aspects. The general truth must find content 
to the heart b}^ a particular application. When not 
simply man in general, but his own wife or child, 
brother or sister, father or mother, friend or neighbor or 
even acquaintance is in danger of being lost forever, the 
pained heart, the falling tear, the spontaneous praj^er, all 
prove that at last the soul has stood face to face with the 
terrible reality, from which the veil of abstradlion has 
been drawn. Abstracftions or general dodlrines stir nc 
one. But when the ^preacher realizes the meaning and 
personal value of the doctrines of salvation, his words 
will impress these truths upon the minds and hearts of 
his hearers as concrete facls, and will move them as 
abstractions never do. A profound realization of the 
truths and fadls of evangelical religion, therefore, is an 
important step in the preacher's preparation for a revival. 
Upon his soul must lie a deep sense of the sinfulness 
of sin. Its threat against the very throne of God, and 
the peace and order of the universe, its utter unreason 
and folly, its degrading and destrudlive power over the 
soul in this life and in the life to come, all must be 
clearly apprehended if the preacher is to enter into full 
sympathy- with God's view and treatment of it, and is to 



FOR A re:vival. 57 

preach with a clear conscience the terrors of the law. 
Unless the hideousness of sin and the loveliness of 
righteousness are appreciated, and the impassableness to 
man of the gulf between them comprehended, the real 
meaning of salvation cannot be grasped. Man's sin 
must be studied in the light of God's holiness ^cnA justice 
on the one hand, and of his pleading love on the other, if 
its true heinousness is to be comprehended. Sin must 
be understood, not as a mere weakness, not as a sad. mis- 
take, not as a means of culture, but as a rebellion against 
God, whose guilt is infinite, whose penalties are justly 
everlasting. Nor is this simply to be predicated of sin 
in general, but of the sin of the souls who are uncon- 
verted in the community, of the ver}^ persons for whose 
conversion the preacher is planning. An}^ weakening 
here, any palliation of the sinner's guilt, any toning 
down of the scriptural conceptions of sin, will be disas- 
trous. 

The preacher ought also to be thoroughly impressed 
with the dreadful consequences of sin, in this life and in 
the life to come. There should be no flinching here. If 
the heart enters protest, it only proves that it is still 
blind to the real nature of sin. A vStud}' of the merely 
physical results of sin in the world about the preacher 
will be impressive, how ninch more the mental and 



5C) GETTING READY 

moral! By analogy, these results will give a glimpse of 
the woe of the finally impenitent. As a help to the 
imagination the descriptions of hell given in Milton's 
" Paradise Lost," and Drmte's "Inferno/' ma^' be read. 
The}' are, however, too material and crass to be followed; 
vasth' more spiritual and therefore more helpful is 
Rowel's '' Letters from Hell,'' which in spite of its sen- 
sational title is a powerful and valuable work. The 
prayerful, tearful study of the Scriptures on this topic 
will be the most useful and impressi^'e. The ver}- facl 
that descriptive passages are so few has a significance 
that the preacher should by no means overlook. The 
subjecl must be studied from the spiritual side made so 
prominent in the large number of references which the 
Scriptures make to the fate of the impenitent dead. 
There should be an absorption, not of the details of the 
biblical description of hell, but of the spirit of sorrow 
and despair which it breathes over the doom of the 
unsaved. This realization of eternal punishment will be 
a power over the preacher himself, rather than a source 
of m.aterials for the sermon, although even here it will 
be useful. 

Having gained a realization of man's need of salvation 
from sin and its consequences here and hereafter, the 
preacher is ready to study the provision God has made for 



FOR A REVIVAL. 59 

this vSalvation. If his heart has been sorely oppressed 
and burdened by his insight into the true condition of 
man, filled with an almost ungovernable longing to save 
men from their present and eternal ruin, he will be pre- 
pared to appreciate more fully than he otherwise could 
the fullness and freeness of the means and power God 
has provided for the accomplishment of the desire of 
his heart. An abiding, restful sense of the power of God 
to convicft men of their sin, to break down all evil oppo- 
sition to his work from whatever source it may come, is 
particularly essential. With this realization of the power 
of God, the preacher will find springing up in his heart 
a hopefulness, a courage, a fixed faith, that will prove a 
very panoply of strength. Without it he will be at the 
mercy of all the little difficulties and petty hindrances 
which occur in the course of every revival, and lack that 
confident aggressiveness which is alwa3'S the promise of 
vidlory. The history of God's dealings with his people 
as recorded both in the Old and New Testament, particu- 
larly in the book of Acfts, gives inspiring instances of 
the manifestations of divine power. Hardly less helpful 
will be the reading of the accounts of great revivals, and 
of the work of great evangelists, in which the arm of the 
Lord appears plainly unbared. Pondering over our own 
experiences in past revivals will often refresh the soul, 



6o GETTING READY 

and give delightful views of the saving omnipotence 
of God. 

But as the almightiness of God thus conies into the 
preacher's mind as a living facft, there will be born in 
him not only a faith in that power but also a faith in the 
means ordained of God for the application of that power. 
Prayer fulfilling the divine conditions will become an 
a<5lual force to his conception, omnipotent as the God 
who is pledged to answer it. Its subjedlive reactions 
will be lost sight of in the objedlive results it is able to 
achieve. Not merely as a means of working up the 
earnestness of the people, but as an unfailing method of 
moving the divine arm for the convicftion of sinners and 
their subsequent conversion, for the defeat of antagonist- 
ical influences that may make themselves felt, for the 
enduement of divine power upon Christian workers, as a 
way of accomplishing diredlly any spiritual end, prayer 
will appear to the soul as the final resource. 

If the Holy Spirit is omnipotent, then his sword, the 
Word of God, must have unconquerable might. Faith 
in the power of the Holy Scriptures opens to the preacher 
resources of inestimable value. To look upon the Bible 
as a mere magazine of texts and impressive readings, 
which are superior to the expression of the same 
thoughts by other writers chiefly because of their associa- 



FOR A REVIVAL. 6 1 

tions, and because they are the original sDurce of religious 
ideas, is to miss the real hidings of their power. The 
Holy Spirit has fashioned his sword in his infinite wis- 
dom in the ver^^ form in which the truth can do the most 
effecftive work upon the hearts of men. Remembering 
the power of God the preacher will not only have a gen- 
eral faith in the efficiency of the Bible to accomplish 
results, but in particular texts and passages. He will use 
them with an unshaken confidence that they will produce 
results. When truth is needed, he will feel like going to 
the Scriptures as a matter of course, and will use what 
they furnish as the all - vSufficient means. A well- 
grounded faith in the Word of God gives the Holy Spirit 
an opportunity to use his sword to the best advantage. 

But this faith in the Bible as a channel of the power of 
God is not at all incompatible with a strong faith in the 
power of the preaching of the Word. A certain hope- 
lessness as to the real value of preaching is often a 
grievous temptation to the preacher. He preaches week 
after week without visible results until almost uncon- 
sciously he draws the conclusion that it cannot produce 
results. This snare is all the more insidious and dan- 
gerous that it often affecfts the mind without rising 
definitely into consciousness. IModest, timid, self-deprc- 
ciative men are peculiarly liable to suffer from this 



62 GETTING READY 

scepticism as to the value of preaching. But ' ' it pleased 
God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that 
believe. ' ' Paul sa3's in his letter to Titus that God has 
' * manifested his word through preaching. ' ' Indeed it is 
a remarkable fadl that while the perennial fountain of 
Christianity is the Bible, a book, that it insists upon 
preaching and teaching, the oral methods of communi- 
cation, as the proper means of spreading the knowledge 
of the Gospel, rather than upon the written Word. 
Divine truth seems to find men more thoroughly when 
backed by human convidlions, when translated into their 
own range of experience not only by speech, but also by 
the expression of the countenance, by the flashing or 
tearful eye, by the emotion that finds innumerable ways 
of expressing itself in the gestures and manner of the 
speaker. But in realizing the power of preaching one 
must look at the divine not the human side. Not one's 
own abilities as a speaker or orator, whether they be 
great or small in our own eyes, but the divine power 
using the preaching as a method of manifesting itself, 
must be the basis of the faith in its efficiency. Modesty 
and conceit are alike out of place here, for self ought to 
be entirely forgotten. When the preacher realizes the 
divine mightiness of preaching however weak the 



FOR A REVIVAL. 63 

preacher, he has won an impregnable pOvSition command- 
ing the enemy. 

But a supreme faith in the power of God will not onl}^ 
make prayer and preaching seem mighty agencies, but 
will create a confidence in revivals as God's favorite 
method of manifesting his power. No one can study the 
history of the ancient Jewish church, and of the begin- 
nings of the Christian church, as found in the Scriptures, 
or the development of that church since the days of the 
apostles as recorded in that later scripture, the history 
of the Christian church, without feeling that revivals 
have been the visible walkings of God through human 
history. The pastor who is preparing for a revival is 
strong in the fadl that he is pursuing God's own method 
for the salvation of the world. Dr. Albert Barnes 
expresses himself earnestly on this point: **What is 
needed now is the ministry of men who have an intelli- 
gent faith in revivals; who have no fear of the effedls 
which truth, under the diredlion of the Holy Spirit, shall 
have upon the mind; who shall so far understand the 
philosophy of revivals as to be able to vindicate them 
when assailed, and to show to men of intelligence that 
they are in accordance with the laws of our nature; and 
whose preaching shall be such as shall be fitted, under 
the direc5tion of the Holy Spirit, to secure such results 



64 GETTING READY - 

on the minds of men. To revivals of religion our coun- 
try owes more than to all other causes put together; and 
if our institutions are preserved in safety, it must be by 
such extraordinary manifestations of the presence and 
the power of God. ' ' 

A like faith should create confidence in revival methods 
without which they are useless machinery. Whatever 
methods seem to the conscience and judgment as fitted 
to produce the desired results and approved of God, as 
may seem assured by the success he has been pleased to 
bestow upon their use, should be undoubtingly accepted 
and relied upon with implicit confidence. But as the 
basis of faith is not the power of the methods them- 
selves, but the power of God, there will be no false 
reliance upon any one method, but an openness to all 
methods and means that God seems willing to bless. 

The preacher's faith should also grasp as a living real- 
ity the loving side of the charadler of God. God's 
patience and long suffering, his deep anxiety and passion 
for the salvation of man, his willingness not only to for- 
give but even to provide the way by means of which 
forgiveness might become possible, his acceptance of the 
repentant sinner not as a subjedl but as a child, to be 
enriched with all the treasures of his love and mercy, his 
tenderness and sympathy, his comfort and help, and the 



FOR A REVIVAI,. 65 

bliss and glory of eternal life should be impressed upon 
his mind and heart as fadls fresh every day, each hour a 
rapturous surprise. The life of Christ and especially 
his sufferings and death, the eighth chapter of Romans, 
and the first epistle of John should be studied over and 
over again until the heart has fully absorbed their mean- 
ing. The love of God should be studied in the light of 
the sinfulness of man, of his dire need, of the insuffi- 
ciency of all else to help him, and of the amazing 
sacrifice God has made to save him. It should become a 
fixed idea in the preacher's mind, an abiding conscious- 
ness in his heart. It should permeate his whole soul, 
and be the main-spring of all his efforts. It must be the 
sovereign idea of his mind to whose glory all other ideas 
are tributary. 

Grasping the fullness of the ideas of the power and the 
love of God, the preacher will have little trouble in exer- 
cising faith in the convidlion and conversion of any and 
all men however vile, or rebellious against the truth. He 
will be able to see the possible, nay probable Christian in 
the most degraded and unlikely sinner. He will find an 
inspiration in selecfting the most difficult case for his 
most earnest and hopeful prayers and work. He will 

expedt sinners to be convidted mightily, to see them con- 
5 



66 GETTING READY 

verted thorouglily and gloriously. That their inner and 
outer life will be transformed and that they will become 
adlive and effedlive workers for Christ, he will look for 
as a matter of course. Faith in the power and love of 
God must find this application if it is to have any mean- 
ing. 

Realizing that the power and love of God are able to 
change the heart and life of every sinner in the commu- 
nity in which the preacher is called to labor, and 
understanding his position as the representative of God, 
standing " in Christ's stead," a deep sense of responsi- 
bility such as rests on no one else for the unsaved souls 
of the community ought to, and will, fall upon him. 
Upon him more than upon any one else depends whether 
the conditions governing the application of that power 
and love to the needs of immortal souls about him 
shall be realized. If he is indifferent or but half-hearted, 
if he is neglecSlful or indolent, the church will be like 
him, and souls will enter eternity unprepared to meet 
their God. 

Fleming in his ''Fulfillment of Scripture" mentions 
the case of a pastor by the name of John Welch who 
often rose for prayer in the coldest winter nights, and 
who being found by his wife weeping on the ground and 
wrestling with the Lord on account of his people replied 



FOR A REVIVAI.. 67 

to her anxious inquiries, ' ' I have the souls of three thous- 
and to answer for, while I know not how it is with 
many of them.'* 

The highest motives that the human heart can enter- 
tain will not only impel him to accept this responsibility 
as a duty, but also to lift it out of the realm of dut}^ into 
that of love and desire. As he broods over the value of 
immortal souls to themselves and to God, realizes their 
' lost condition and the complete provision for their salva- 
tion, a passion for their salvation will be roused that 
will not be gainsaid but sweeps the whole nature on to 
the work. 

But this sense of responsibility must be individualized 
if it is to do its full work upon the mind and heart of 
the preacher. His lists of unconverted Sunday-school 
scholars, of unconverted families and persons, of back- 
sliders to be reclaimed will aid him in realizing in a 
particular and personal way for whose salvation he is 
responsible. He should make these lists his rosaries, 
praying over them day by day, taking one name after the 
other, until he has prayed by name for every unsaved 
person in the community. Leaving out of consideration 
the results of his prayer upon the heart of God and upon 
the persons for whom he prays, the reactionary effecfls 
upon himself will be mOvSt blessed and happ}-. Dutj' 



68 GETTING READY 

will be lost in love and his passion for souls in general 
will find means of expression, points of attachment 
through which to seek the attainment of its desire. 

But this sense of responsibility and passion for the sal- 
vation of individual souls will be quickened still more 
by personal intercourse, social and spiritual, with the 
persons who need salvation. Desire for their spiritual 
good will promote kindly feeling and friendship, and 
these in turn will strengthen the longing for their conver- 
sion. This personal attachment to the unsaved therefore 
should be earnestly cultivated in one's self, cultivated all 
the more if there is anything repellent in the person's 
charadler and condudl. There is no place here for the 
manifestation of personal feeling. The true passion for 
souls will override uncongeniality of tastes or incompati- 
bility of dispositions. Love must attach itself to what 
the person may become, rather than to what he now is. 
It must, like the love of God, find in itself rather than 
in the objecft the grounds of its being. The more repul- 
sive the character of the person, the greater, likely, is his 
need of the transforming power of the Spirit of God. 
With personal motives thus reinforcing those which are 
divine in the heart of the pastor, there will be a holy fire 
in his bones which will give him peace only as he is 
engaged in labors looking to the salvation of the lost. 



FOR A REVIVAL. 69 

3. His faith, having- thus reached the substance of 
things and found the fundamental truths of the Gospel 
to be living fadls, the preacher has now to fulfill the con- 
ditions which precede the exercise and co-operation of 
the divine power and love in himself first of all. And 
this he will find no easy matter. Dr. Lyman Beecher 
once said, * * I never had a revival without a tussle with 
myself, the church, and the devil." The spiritual strug- 
gle through which he often has to pass will be bitter 
enough. The way of confession of sin, of humiliation, 
of complete surrender to God, and of the losing of self 
in God, the way of thorns in which he insists that the 
Christian workers of his congregation must walk before 
they can hope to lead sinners to Christ, he must have 
trod himself in its complete distress and pain. There 
must be a recognition of his sin, of his neglecft and indif- 
ference toward God and his work, of his selfishness and 
self-will, of his pride and vanity, of his adlual unworthi- 
ness to do the work that lies before him, and a consequent 
confession to God and deep humiliation before him, 
before he has found the attitude towards God that 
will make his co-operation possible. There must be 
further a complete surrender of the will to the will of 
God. A thorough, albeit painful, self-examination is 
important, for the self-will has a dangerous way of dis- 



70 ge:ttixg ready 

guising itself and putting on garments of light. One's 
plans and ambitions for the future, one's relations to 
friends and acquaintances and possibly fellow-ministers,, 
one's pleasures and pursuits, nay even' the attitude 
of one's will, and the motives for doing what is recog- 
nized as God's will must be diligently examined and 
wherever there is any hesitancy in accepting the will of 
God or any rebellion against it, there must be an uncon- 
ditional surrender. The providential ordering of our 
lives, in our appointment to a charge or change of pas- 
torates, in afELidlions sore and grievous, in trials and 
difS.culties painful and distressing, in whatever form 
they may have appeared contrary to the natural desires 
of the heart, must be accepted freely and with complete 
resignation. Resentments against our fellows, even if 
the}^ are well founded and in one sense of the word just, 
must be put away from the heart by a diredl adl of the 
will. Pride and self-esteem and the approbativeness that 
desires the good will of the people must be thoroughly 
subjugated to the will of the Lord. Motives based upon 
a desire to build up one's own individual society, or even 
worse, one's reputation as a revival worker, must be cut 
out of the heart root and branch. In general whatever 
in us antagonizes the will of the Lord must be broken 
down and cast out. This is the indispensable condition 



FOR A RKVIVAI,. 71 

of the enjoyment of the divine blessing and power in our 
work. In proportion to the incompleteness of this self- 
surrender will the power of the preacher be limited and 
insufficient, and the revival service hindered and made 
ineifedlive. 

But we have been considering only the negative side of 
this self-surrender, in the putting away of the antago- 
nism which may be found to exist between us and God. 
The positive side is the devotion to the service of the 
Lord of all our talents, influence, powers, whether 
physical, mental, social, moral, or spiritual. This con- 
secration of one's self to divine uses, this setting apart 
all one's force to the work of winning souls to Christ, 
this transferring to the ownership of God our whole 
self to be used by him as he may think wise and good, 
is the most important phase of self-surrender, and cannot 
be emphasized too strongly. Only as the soul is com- 
pletely in the hands of God and pliable to his every 
touch, can he use it to his greatest glory and to the 
greatest good. But when it is thus wholly his, there is 
seemingly no limit to the power he manifests through it. 

But this self-surrender is not a light task. The strug- 
gle is often a protradled one, lasting days and weeks, and 
even months. It represents the bitterCvSt distress of soul 
to the preacher, a wading through deep waters that often 



72 GETTING READY 

threaten to engulf him. It is the way of the cross, over 
which the servant must follow his Lord. Gloud on cloud 
the darkness may gather, and when it momentarily 
breaks, it is only to deepen more terribly than ever. 
One diflS.cult3^ overcome, he finds himself face to face 
with a greater. But the complete vidlory comes at 
last, and when it does come, the power it brings is 
generally in proportion to the struggle through which 
the soul was obliged to pass. It brought out every 
spiritual force of the soul, stirring it to its utmost 
depths, and developing its latent powers as no other 
experience could have done. So certain is this pro- 
portion of power and spiritual results to the severity 
cf the struggle that a preacher is almost to be con- 
gratulated if this preparatory^ battle in his own soul 
w^axes hot and continues long. But an unfortunate 
man is he if he loses in the strife. Not only does 
he lose the vicT:or3^ in his meetings, but he has lost 
his peace of mind, his religious vitality. 

In regard tc this matter the Rev. Wm. W. Newell, 
D. D., writes of his own experience: *^ I had seen 
so many revivals averted b}' the condition of pastors 
that I devoted the entire week of prayer to a prepa- 
ration of m}^ own heart and life. I believed that I 
was a Christian, but I wanted to see myself as God 



FOR A REVIVAL. 'JT, 

^aw me. I wanted to be thoroughly humbled and 
completely emptied of self. I wanted to press upon 
the church and the world the overwhelming motives 
of God's eternal word with all the magnetism of a 
fervid, confident, loving, divine spirit. In pleading with 
Jehovah for others I would obey his command, ' Be 
ye clean, that bear the vessels of the lyord.' (Isaiah 52: ii). 
On Monday I considered the infinitely holy charadler of 
God. By this stupendous theme my soul was greatly 
awed. On Tuesday I considered my own particular sins, 
in the presence of that Jehovah with whom even the sol- 
emn meeting may be iniquity. (Isaiah 1:13). I asked 
myself * What of your pride, ambition, self-seeking? 
What have you lacked in love, trust, spirituality, 
improvement of time, and toil for the lost.^*' On 
Wednesday I considered God's kindness to me, my famil}^ 
and my church. I was amazed at his munificence; I 
was abased at my own unthankfulness. But he had 
snatched away my loved ones. Yet he enabled me to 
say, * O God, thy will be done, — my Jesus, as thou 
wilt.' On Thursday my questions were: ^Wliy do 
you want a revival of religion '^ Is it chiefly to build up 
one man or one church, to make your people more genial 
and loving ? Or are you seeking first of all to honor 
Jesus in the salvation of the perishing? Have you been 



74 GETTING READY 

asking God for things which you do not expedt to receive 
and which you make slight effort to secure ?' 

By this time I was ready to cry with the Apostle: 
*Oh! wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me 
from the body of this death?' (Romans 7:24). On 
Friday, I was prepared as never before to look to Jesus. 
Mere earthly advantages seemed to me like the idle wind. 
I confessed and loathed my sin. 'I looked upon him 
whom I had pierced, and I mourned for him.* (Zecha- 
riah 12:10). I laid myself upon his altar, to do and to 
suffer his will. With great confidence I sought his 
Spirit. My view was definite. My feeling was deep. 
My soul was filled with confidence and peace. Each 
evening during the week I had poured forth to my 
church the experience of the day. When told by one of 
them to look to Christ, the answer was: ' God's Spirit 
is teaching me what I need. It is making for me a 
straight path to my Savior.' At the close of this Friday 
evening numbers took my hand and with glowing faces 
exclaimed: 'Oh, what a meeting we have had! We 
knew how you would come out.' -h- -h- ^ -x- -sf 

In this movement I had the sympathy of the church. 
The great revival had commenced." 

Having learned to exercise such faith in God, in his 
power and love, having made this complete surrender of 



FOR A REVIVAL. 75 

self, and thorough consecration of his all to God, the pas- 
tor has fulfilled the conditions which assure the baptism of 
the Holy Spirit, the baptism of fire and of power. God is 
realized as dwelling within, as an impelling force, as a 
diredling influence. There will be a new insight into the 
truth of God and into the movings of the heart; a new 
fruitfulness of thought and vividness of imagination; a 
new fertility in expedients and methods of work ; a new 
emotional power and an earnestness that is able to kindle 
the earnestness of others; a new courage that fears no diffi- 
culty and apprehends no defeat; a new magnetism and 
power of will that enables the preacher to control men as 
he is not usually able to do. It is the Holy Spirit quick- 
ening his every power and charging it with an efficiency 
that is superhuman and divine. He is possessed of God, 
controlled and used by him. The bliss of this intimate 
communion with God, the rapture of invincible power, 
and the joy of certain results unite to make this baptism 
a most blessed experience. Yet the deepening of the 
longing for the salvation of the lost which it brings often 
crowds the ecstasy of the experience out of the con- 
sciousness. 

When the preacher has won this baptism of power, and 
not until then, is he ready to begin revival services. 



^6 GETTING READY 



PREPARATION OF THE CHURCH. 



CHAPTER I. 

WAKING THE ENERGY OE THE CHURCH. 

The church, needs preparation for revival work no less 
than the minister. This is an absolutely essential 
element in the work to be done. No matter what the 
mental and spiritual fitness of the pastor ma}' be, he 
will fail in his effort if his church does not co-operate 
with him and is out of sympathy with or indifferent to 
the results he wishes to accomplish. An unrevived 
church is a wall of defence round the unsaved, sheltering 
them against the power of the Spirit and of the truth as 
proclaimed by the preacher. It were better for the 
worker that he have no church at all, that he be left 
unhindered to develop his methods and plans, relying, 
under the guidance and help of God, on his own unham- 
pered efforts, than that he be handicapped and weighted 
down, checkmated and betrayed at every point by an 



FOR A REVIVAI.. ']'] 

indifferent or unwilling church. It is, therefore, of the 
greatest importance, nay an absolute necessity, that the 
church be prepared for the aggressive campaign; that 
in mind and soul its members be equipped to carry on the 
work of salvation. 

Rev. Dr. Humphrey, formerly of Amherst College, 
says: '* After a revival in my old parish a good deacon 
said to me, * Before the revival I wondered why you 
preached so long and pointedly to the church. We 
thought it was cruel to lay the charge of not having a 
revival to us. But I see now how needful it was.' If we 
had the fadls, I believe it would be found that nearly all 
the most powerful revivals have been preceded by earnest 
and faithful appeals to the church. ' ' 

But this preparatory work among Christians ought not 
to be postponed until the series of special meetings 
begins. Economy of strength and time, and thorough- 
ness of work alike demand that at least a large share of 
the preparation of the church be begun not only weeks 
but even months in advance. Indeed much of the most 
important work can only be done beforehand. Time is 
an important fa(5lor in much of it, and when the meetings 
are in progress that precious commodity cannot be given 
to it freely. It will be comparatively easy during the 
meetings of the first week to vStir up the regular working 



78 GETTING READY 

members of the church who are always to be depended 
upon, but the great body of the church which needs 
reviving most will require many days and weeks of per- 
severing and patient labor before it can be reached. 
There is private pastoral work to be done that it is impos- 
sible to do after the meetings have begun, for lack of 
time and strength. There are often social and religious 
bonds that have been fradlured and need to be reknit, all 
of which requires time. Before the autumn season has 
been fairly ushered in the pastor should be laying his 
plans and setting influences in motion for the preparation 
of his church for a revival. 

In many a church it is necessary, before proceeding to 
any direcft preparation for a revival, to do some indiredl 
work. The society has fallen into deep ruts in its regular 
lines of adlivity, it has lost its enterprise and freshness 
of spirit, its aggressiveness and inventiveness, its power 
of seeing and seizing opportunities, its adaptiveness to 
the needs of the community for whose spiritual welfare 
it is responsible. Dry rot has set in, and not only the 
spiritual energies of the society are decaying, but 
the mental as well. Where such is the state of affairs the 
pastor has the difi&cult task of instilling new vitality, of 
transfusing from his own spirit to that of the church a new 
life and energy. This requires a hopeful spirit w^hich dis- 



FOR A REVIVAIv. 79 

couragement and dismay cannot touch, but which 
kindles hope and enthusiasm in those with whom it 
comes in contad;. Whatever disheartenment the pastor 
may find resting upon him should never find the slightest 
expression in either adls, words, or looks. He must be 
the very embodiment of courage and hopefulness of the 
church, -seeing the bright side of everything, acknowl- 
edging no impossibilities and making light of difiiculties 
and hindrances that may be met. If he can in any way 
set before his people tangible proofs of progress, such as 
the accession of valuable members who may have been 
standing off before, or a marked enlargement of the reg- 
ular congregation, or of the Sunday-school, by various 
means some of which may hereafter be suggested, he 
will find that a delightful change will come over the 
spirit of his people. In many cases the tide may be 
turned by the agitation of some projedt for the material 
advancement of the church. The building of a new 
church edifice, or the enlargement or improvement of the 
old, the purchase or building of a parsonage, the eredlion 
of sheds for the shelter of horses and vehicles where such 
are necessary, securing an organ or a librar}- for the 
Sunday-school, furnishing the pews with an adequate 
number of hymn-books, or any other needed improve- 
ment may be made the means of waking the ambition 
and enterprise of the society. 



8o GETTING READY 

It will be very helpful in many places to break up tlie 
dull routine and monotony in the services by quietly and 
gradually introducing a greater variety in their nature 
and order. In congregations where there is wealth and 
that veneered culture w^hich is more fastidious and crit- 
ical than the true, it may be necessary to break down 
false and artificial standards of propriety in church ser- 
vice, which emphasize the form at the expense of the 
content, and hamper the manifestation of the religious 
life of the people. That these laws of propriety are 
unwritten makes them none the less mighty for evil in 
crippling the spontaneity of worship. This fastidious- 
ness is a religious dyspepsia that rejedls with disdain the 
wholesome food on which the healthy thrive. 

Sometimes w^here it can be done without causing 
ill feeling or strife, a reorganization of the church would 
be valuable. Where a certain set of men, no matter of 
how high a standing and characfter have by long posses- 
sion made good their claim year after year to re-eledlion 
to certain offices until the places of power and honor 
seem to belong to them by right and until by age or con- 
firmed habit, a dull uniformity and listlessness has come 
over the official representatives of the society, it may be 
necessary to introduce fresh elements into the councils of 
the church. Even a redistribution of the offices among the 



FOR A REVIVAI.. 8l 

same individuals so that each is made responsible for 
a new set of duties may be helpful. A new Sunday- 
school superintendent or class-leader or deacon or other 
officer will aid in breaking the spell of inadlion that is 
upon the church. New conceptions and ideas, new plans 
and methods, new knowledge of wants and state of 
affairs in the community, nay that element in human 
nature which has justified the adage, "A new broom 
sweeps clean," all will prove an inspiration to the pastor 
and his church. Of course such changes must be made 
cautiously and discreetly and in a spirit of appreciation 
of the work and sacrifice of the outgoing officers. Per- 
sonal criticism should have no place in the discussion of 
the matter and other motives than the unfitness of the 
incumbents should be urged in support of the change. 

In most churches such a reorganization is not needed 
and in some where it might be desirable it would be folly 
to attempt it. However that may be, the pastor should 
seek to lead the officials of his church to a greater inter- 
est and adlivity with reference to the temporal and 
spiritual interests of the congregation. He should make 
it his business not only to call their attention to the lines 
of needed progress, but to inspire them and, if need be, 
to spur them on to follow those lines to desired success. 



82 GETTING READY 

If he is skillful enough to draw the suggestions out of 
his officials and so make them responsible for the ideas, 
the more power will they have to wake up the church and 
prepare the wa}' for spiritual aclivit}'. 



FOR A Rp;viVAl,. 8^ 



CHAPTER II. 

SPIRlTUAIv PREPARATION OF THE CHURCH. 

No one seeks or strives after that of which he has no 
sense of need. In the diredl preparation of the church 
for a revival the awakening of the sense of the need of 
a revival is particularly important. In the first place the 
individual Christian must be made to realize that he him- 
self needs a deeper work of grace in his soul; that he has 
been indifferent and negledlful in the discharge of his 
religious duties, and that he has not that sense of the 
presence and favor of God which brings on the one hand 
peace and joy, and on the other power and effedliveness 
in the Christian work ; that he has taken from the altar 
of God his power, influence, time, means, and other tal- 
ents for which he was responsible to God their Giver, 
and consecrated them to the power of the world; that he 
needs to humble himself before God in confession of sin 
and unworthiness, and reconsecrate himself to the service 
of his divine Master. This personal sense of the need of 
a revival is the most essential, as if this is secured all 
the rest will follow almost necessarily. The society is 



84 GETTING READY 

but an aggregation of units, and when the units are hun~ 
gering after the presence of God the way is well prepared 
for a general work of grace. 

The church as an organization must be impressed with 
its need of a more powerful religious vitality. It must 
become conscious of its general negledt of duty towards 
God and the unsaved, of the low standard of piety which 
obtains, of its lack of religious power, of its want of 
Spiritual influence over the community. The lack of reg- 
ularity in attendance on the usual services of the church, 
the small prayer-meetings and their lack of interest, the 
omission of family prayers in many homes, the covet- 
ousness and worldliness of its members, the great want 
of Christian charity in its social life, its indifierence to 
the fate of sinners, its formalism and purely mechanical 
effort in the ordinary lines of church adlivity, the back- 
sliding in heart of which all have been guilty, should be 
realized and lamented and a desire awakened for a 
change. Nor should it simply be a passing depression 
of spirit, but a deep and abiding realization of one's con- 
dition before God. 

But this sense of the need of a revival is only the 
beginning of the required spiritual preparation. It is 
but the initial step which must be followed by many 
others. The recognition of sin and negledl must be sue- 



FOR A REVIVAL. 85 

ceeded by repentance. Without it the realization of sin 
only drives the soul further into the darkness of a 
backslidden life. The sin so recognized must be hated 
and repudiated. A holy sorrow for sin must seize the 
soul in much the same way that it did in conviction 
before the original conversion. But the sin must be 
given up. The worldliness and selfishness which have 
grieved the Spirit must be put aside and a strong effort 
made to meet the duties that have been so long neg- 
ledled. 

Repentance will find its expression in private and 
public confession and humiliation. At this stage of 
affairs prayer will largely consist of a confession 
of unworthiness and negledl, and the urging by the soul 
of its deep spiritual needs. All self-sufficiency and self- 
righteousness will be removed from the heart, and the 
soul will appear before God in the deepest humility, 
clothed in sack-cloth and ashes. 

But as the sins were committed in the presence of the 
people there must also be a confession before them. Not 
that there is any need, except in extraordinary cases, of 
any detailed confession, for that were hardl}^ edif^ang. A 
general confession of unworthiness and sinfulness will be 
amply sufficient, but this much certainly is essential. If 
this confession be made in the presence of the uncon. 



86 GETTING READY 

verted all the better. Instead of leading them to despise 
the church it will lead them to a realization that the 
standard by which Christians judges themselves is high 
and far above them; moreover, the inconsistencies of 
Christians will no more serve them as a hiding place 
when the Spirit wakes the conscience. The moral cour- 
age and unselfishness which a public confession represents 
will be appreciated so much that the evil influence of the 
previous inconsistencies will be largely counteradled. 

There must be developed a deep spirit of prayer. 
Desire must take such hold upon God's people that they 
will instindlively and spontaneously fly to him to secure 
that for which they long. This must be markedly the 
case in behalf of the unsaved. There must be a sharing 
of the pain of Christ as he suffers for the sin of the 
world. Deep anxiety and travail of soul must seize 
the church, an agony of earnestness that will not cease 
its importunity, a violence of spirit which taketh the 
kingdom of heaven by force. This spirit of prayer is in 
diredl contrast with the quiet communion with God of 
the soul in its normal Christian life. It is a struggle, an 
aggressive conflict, in which self is forgotten and the 
spiritual welfare of others is the consuming desire. It 
may be said that there cannot be a revival with much 
result unless this burden of soul comes upon the church. 



FOR A RKVIVAI.. 87 

Indeed the results may often be forecast from the intens- 
ity of the desire of the church for the salvation of the 
people, and from the degree of unanimity in this matter 
among its members. 

There must be an exercise of living faith in God, as a 
Savior forgiving all sin and cleansing the soul from its 
impurities, as a Helper in the work of salvation. There 
must be faith in one's own behalf through which God 
can blot out the sins that have been repented of and con- 
fessed, and also in behalf of the unsaved that they will 
be called into the kingdom. This faith will not be a 
passing joy, a momentary enthusiasm, but an abiding 
realization of the power and mercy of God, wavering not in 
spite of discouragement or difficulty. One must learn to 
distinguivsh between fitful glimpses, as between clouds, 
of the grace of God, and resting in its constant 
fullness. The pastor is often deceived by outward 
demonstration into feeling that his people are fully pre- 
pared, that they have won the vi(5lory of faith, when the 
battle is not even fully joined. The first difficulty that 
is met proves that it was a mere ebullition of feeling, 
lacking the vStaying qualities of true faith. Indeed there 
may be a number of flu(5luations of feeling before the 
permanent power, the abiding sense of the almightiness 
of God and of his coUvStant presence, is won. 



88 GETTING READY 

The pastor must lead his people to look for the endue- 
ment of power from above, even the baptism of fire and 
of the Spirit. The stress must be placed however, not so 
much on the personal subjedlive experience as upon the 
meeting of the conditions upon which that baptism 
depends. These are complete surrender of self, full con- 
secration of all to God, and an implicit obedience to the 
guidance of the Spirit. Pride, timidity, self-conscious, 
ness, all that hinders the spontaneous impulses of the 
soul from finding manifestation in determined efforts for 
the glory of God and the salvation of souls, must be put 
aside if the Spirit is to come in its power. It is useless 
to pray for the baptism of power until these conditions 
are met. Here again the pastor must guard himself 
against being misled by outward demonstrations of joy; 
the best test of the descent of the Spirit will be found not 
in subjedlive, emotional experiences, although these are 
likely to occur to a greater or less extent, but in the new 
willingness to do, and in the success in aggressive work 
which will be the immediate result as in the day of Pente- 
cost. Of course it will not do to belittle or cast refledlions 
on religious ecstacies or raptures that may find expression. 
The pastor ought rather to sympathize with them, or 
share in them; but he must after all use them for means 
to higher ends and insist that they are granted onlj- as a 



FOR A REVIVAL. 89 

preparation for work, and that if they are not followed by 
work they stamp themselves as false, '* wildfire" that is 
born of the flesh and not of the Spirit. The tendency to 
have a ** good time," as it is sometimes phrased, is 
purely selfish and lacks all the elements of true spiritual- 
ity. The result of such an effort may satisfy the craving 
for physical excitement, but is an impious caricature of 
the blessing of God, and will soon bring leanness of soul. 
Instead of power the result of such a forced effort will be 
a disastrous reaction from which it will be difi&cult to 
rally. Feeling is a result, not a cause, and any inversion 
of this order is foolish and calamitous. Still worse is it 
. to seek by noise, which is often the result of deep feel- 
ing in demonstrative people, to create feeling. Lung 
capacity takes the place of faith and physical force 
becomes the measure of spiritual power. 

The spiritual preparation thus sketchily indicated ma}- 
be made in many ways, diredl and indiredl. No mechan- 
ical formulae can suffice for this work and no minute 
diredlions be given that will fit every case. In one congre- 
gation one course is advisable, in another the same 
procedure will have no effedl and may even do harm; 
indeed the plans that succeeded one year in a congregation 
will not be useful the next so fully have the conditions 
changed. Yet it is possible to suggest a few general 



90 GETTING READY 

methods some adaptation of which will m.eet the case. 
Will it be wholly superfluous to suggest secret prayer as 
one of these methods ? The Holy Spirit is the great 
Wakener, and in answer to the pastor's prayer he will da 
his work upon the church. He will prepare the way of 
the pastor for his private and public efforts, and will 
produce results no human power could in any way 
accomplish. But this secret prayer must not consist sim- 
ply of occasional ejaculations, but must be prolonged 
wrestling with the Lord until the vi(ftory of faith is won, 
and the pastor realizes in his heart that as a prince has 
he had power with God and men and prevailed. His pray- 
ers in public and in the homes of his people may be made . 
a mighty force. The power of an earnest sincere prayer 
in its immediate adlion upon the people is rarely esti- 
mated at its true value. A college student full of 
earnestness and spirituality once made the opening 
prayer in a service held in a community which had lost 
its spiritual vigor. Led away by his feelings he prayed 
for three-quarters of an hour, but in spite of its inordi- 
nate length it was the occasion of a great revival. Of 
course public prayer must not degenerate into exhorta- 
tion or castigation of the people; that were not only 
offensive beyond measure, but also impious and insulting 
to God. Yet public prayer has diredl relation to the lis- 



FOR A REVIVAI.. _ 9I 

tening people and its influence for good upon them not 
only can, but also ought legitimately to be considered. 
In leading them in prayer the pastor should express the 
sentiments which under the circumstances the people 
ought to feel. They should contain much confession of 
sin and negledl and of deep desire for the restoration 
of the joys of salvation. Such a prayer made with evi- 
dently deep feeling and sincerity wall often steal into 
hearts that would be closed to the sermon or personal 
appeal. 

The sermon of course, will be the preacher's great 
opportunity. The line of thought will entirely depend 
upon the spiritual condition of the church. There ought 
to be little preaching at a venture. If ever purpose 
vShould govern the style of preaching and the subjects 
considered, this is the time. In one aspe(ft or another the 
preacher wnll need to emphasize the reality of Christian 
experience, the assurance of salvation, Bible standards 
of Christian life, the obligations of the redeemed to God 
and men. The power and conditions of pra3'er, the 
power of God and his willingness to use it in behalf of 
his people, the pre-requisites for the exercise of that 
power, and kindred themes ma}^ be used to kindle the 
faith and enthusiasm of the people. He must insist upon 
a separation from the world. The line between the saved 



92 GETTING READY 

and the unsaved must be sharply and rigorously drawn 
in order that unconverted or backslidden church members 
and the respedlable church-going people who rest in their 
self-righteousness may be brought to see their true con- 
dition in the sight of God. He must load upon the 
church the responsibility for the loss of sinners under its 
influence. While the greatest care should be taken to 
avoid personalities in the pulpit, and never to adl the 
coward by saying publicly in a general Vv^ay what ought 
to be attended to in private, there ought to be no sparing 
of the sins and neglecT; of which all are guilt5\ The 
negledted prayer-meeting, the tedious meeting for testi- 
mony, the family altar that lies in ruins, the secret closet 
that remains unvisited, all will furnish opportunities for 
sweet, kindl}^ but none the less fearless and plain expo- 
sitions of the true condition of the church and its 
members. 

With regard to the danger of offending the church by 
faithful reproof. Dr. Cu^^ler gives the following expe- 
rience: ** While going through my congregation one 
afternoon on a pastoral visitation, I found three persons 
under deep conviction of sin. I at once summoned m}^ 
church ofiicers together and recommended a daily pra3'er 
meeting for the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit. When 
the first inquiry-meeting was held, the officers took their 






I^OR A REVIVAL. 93 

hats and went home. I wrote each one of them a sharp 
note. One or two were affronted, but the irritation 
proved a means of grace. It is a good thing to get a 
sleepy backslider thoroughly angry; when a wound 
smarts it is commonly healing. Mr. Moody wittily says: 
* When God awakens a sleeping soul, it generally wakes 
up cross,' Let us never be alarmed w^hen the truth, 
working in a conscience, produces sharp words. The fire 
is getting into the bones. In a few days I found all my 
staff of elders and deacons well warmed to the work. A 
blessed revival followed." 

The great danger of such preaching is that it will 
degenerate into mere denunciation which will do only 
harm, generating an antagonistic spirit and a resentment 
little fitted to prepare the soul for a levival. The 
preacher must guard this point with the utmost care, and 
come into the pulpit for such work only after having the 
most thorough spiritual preparation and a baptism of 
the love and patience of God. Dr. Newell writes of a pas- 
tor ** who was especially hard and faithful. One evening, 
as he was leaving his meeting, a good sister said to him, 
*I am tired of being scolded.' He was startled. He 
carried this reproof to the cross. His heart was moved. 
He said, ' I try to be faithful, but how rarely do I strive 
to melt them with my own broken heart and with the 
precious love of Jesus. ' ' ' 



94 GETTING READY 

A young clergyman whom I once knew who was 
very anxious to succeed on the charge to which he 
had been sent threw the whole of his tremendous 
energy into a revival service, but with no seeming 
success. He preached with increasing severity, loading 
upon the church the responsibility for the failure, but 
only drove his people away from himself. The meet- 
ing promised to result in positive harm to the church 
and his mental distress was intense; it seemed, how- 
ever, only to embitter him and he became more de- 
nunciatory. At last the crisis came and in the midst 
of an evening service he was overcome b}" his mental and 
Spiritual distress, and was obliged to dismiss the congre- 
gation. He knelt in prayer among a few of his faithful 
members who remained with him in their anxiety, and 
after hours of struggle he won the vidlory and was at 
peace. The meetings continued, but the denunciations 
ceased. The church soon rallied about him, sinners 
began to be converted, and a precious revival swept 
scores into the kingdom. When the preacher is inclined 
to be harsh and severe, he may be sure that like this 
young minister the trouble is with himself and not with 
the congregation. 

Indeed diredl references to the faults and negledl of the 
church and its members will not always be necessary and 



FOR A REVIVAL. 95 

before making them the preacher should alwa^^s be 
certain in his own mind that they are called for. If the 
preaching on the various themes connected with 
the Christian life is clear and definite, the church ma}" 
usually be trusted under the guidance of the Spirit to 
make the proper application to its own needs. 

But the pastor has even better opportunities than the 
preacher for impressing his people with their need of a 
revival and for preparing them for its coming. In his 
pastoral relation there is a freedom that he lacks in the 
pulpit. The unconverted are not present to misinterpret 
and pervert the plain words of the speaker. There is an 
opportunity for detailed illustration, for personal applica- 
tion, that would be utterly out of place in the pulpit. 
The pastor should talk up the need of a revival wherever 
he goes among Christians, refer to it in season and out 
of season months before he expedls to begin, until the 
people by mere dint of iteration (and many persons can 
be impressed in no other way) have absorbed the idea. In 
the homes, on the streets, in the workshops, in private 
conversations on the work of the church, in the official 
meetings, in the prayer-meeting, in the class-meeting, 
everywhere the need of a revival should be alluded to 
and the desire for it kindled. But this iteration must be 
a natural expression of the pastor's own desire and pur- 



96 GETTING READY 

pose, not a mere mechanical repetition. Let the people 
once discover that it is not spontaneous and impulsive 
and its power is shorn, indeed it becomes a power for evil 
disgusting and repelling those whom it seeks to gain. 

In seeking the spiritual preparation of his people the 
pastor must not assume that the pillars of the church will 
not need particular attention at his hands. The fadl is 
they often need it most. They are peculiarly liable to 
self-complacency and self-righteousness, those heart sins 
so fatal to all revival effort. They first of all may 
demand pastoral visitation, religious conversation of a 
personal and searching chara(5ler, and earnest prayers for 
them and theirs, in their homes. If they are humble and 
kindle quickly, so much the better for the pastor as they 
immediately become helpers and the desired movement 
has already begun. Unless they are early won for an 
aggressive movement and a deeper spiritual life in the 
church they will be in the way of others and prove a 
great hindrance. Such persons often become an antago- 
nistic element in a revival, their pride leading them to 
oppose what they had no hand in setting in motion. In 
any event they will be harder to reach afterwards. Those 
who have become indifferent to the church and its inter- 
ests and negledlful of their religious duties will need 
more prolonged attention and persevering effort. Con- 



FOR A REVIVAI.. 97 

versation with these may range from the mere urging 
them to attend the social and other services of the church 
to references to the personal religious condition, a:ccord- 
ing as it may be wise to do one or the other. Sometimes 
when diredl means fail it may be well to send some one 
of the church who has influence over the person under 
treatment; and often it is well to send the backslider after 
some one else who needs attention, that the effort to help 
others may reveal to him his own helplessness. This is 
one of Moody's favorite methods. Some will require a lit- 
tle dire(ftion in work to be done privately, others will need 
to be inspired to public efforts in prayer or testimony, in 
some families the altar of prayer must be rebuilt. There 
may be those who have lost their sense of acceptance 
with God and crave enlightenment and comfort. They 
may even claim that they are no longer Christians, 
but in many cases they are judging only by their feelings 
and the pastor will need to exercise care in accepting 
their view of the case. He should be slow to grant that 
they have utterly backslidden, but insist that they take 
lip their long negledled duties and by a reconsecration 
win back the lost peace of soul. There is great danger 
in belittling conversion and wrecking the faith of the 

communit}^ in its reality and value when church mem- 
7 



98 GETTING READY 

bers must experience it ever^^ 3^ear or two. The truth, is 
that a majority of those who claim that they have lost 
their religious life are simply discouraged and misled by 
false conceptions of the basis of Christian life. 

With those whose whole life and conversation prove 
that they have really forsaken the Lord a different course 
must be pursued. Their church membership must be 
recognized in talking with them onl}' as an added con- 
demnation, and as rendering them more accountable for 
their sin. In general the}^ will need the same treatment 
as other unsaved persons. An effort should be made to 
interest them in the church and its work and to secure a 
personal influence over them. Diredt personal appeals 
should rarely be made to them until they have been 
brought into a condition to profit by them. Otherwise 
they will be repelled and hardened before the reaping 
time of the meeting has come. 

New life needs to be put into the social services of the 
church. New methods need to be used in adding inter- 
est. Perhaps I can do no better on this point than to 
quote the excellent description and suggestions of the 
Rev. W. P. Doe, as found in his valuable compilation, 
** Revivals, — How to Promote Them.'* ''The prayer 
meeting is in the ruts; no unusual thing; smitten with 
dullness; prayers long and wandering and prosy; singing 



FOR A REVIVAL. 99 

nasal and twangy; same routine, prayer, singing, Script- 
ure, a whole chapter; exhortation by leader; remarks, 
prayers and pauses by brethren; benedidlion; dispersion. 
The young are not there; the sounds are too doleful. 
The church are not there for the same reason. 

How shall it be raised to newness of life and freshness 
of power? Try experiments; have variety, spring, 
sparkle. Mix things; now a praise-meeting, now a 
promise-meeting, now both in one. Have topics, discuss 
them; a Bible service in which all can join; bring along 
some passage on which your own soul has feasted, talk 
about it; come full of enthusiasm for whatever means is 
to be tried, never criticising measures, and you will find 
the conference room a very Bethel. ' ' 

Valuable hints may be gained from the late Rev. L<. O. 
Thompson's book on ** The Prayer- Meeting " and also in 
Rev. Clark's *' Young People's Prayer- Meeting. " 

The pastor may easily be able to judge whether his 
efforts to prepare the way for a revival are successful. 
The increasing number of his hearers and the interest 
they manifest in his words, the increasing size and spir- 
ituality of his prayer-meetings and the larger number of 
those who participate, the more and more frequently 
expressed sense of the need of and desire for a revival in 
public and private, the reconsecration of backsliders, the 



lOO GETTING RE:ADY 

confessions of sin and lamentations over negledl of duty^ 
the interest manifested in the spiritual welfare of the 
community will be some of the tokens of the rising spir- 
itual tide. When conversions begin to occur, and they 
ought to be expedted, he may be sure that the divine 
Spell is working and that all things are nearly if not 
altogether ready. 

But the church should not only be impressed with its 
individual and colledtive need of a time of refreshing, 
but also with the terrible need of the unsaved about it. 
To this end it may be necessary to preach a series of 
sermons on the present and future condition of the uncon- 
verted with a special view to the enlightenment of 
Christian people. During a time of great spiritual 
drought in Providence, R. I., Dr. Wayland, the President 
of Brown University, preached a series of sermons on the 
doom of the impenitent. There was no little protest 
against the forbidding theme so persistently brought to 
the attention of the people, but Dr. Wayland continued 
and in a short time a great revival of religion broke out. 
Earnest private talk along these lines will often be more 
useful than preaching which the hearer is too apt to con- 
sider professional and perfundtory. It is often necessary 
to remove from the minds of even good earnest Christians 
the very comfortable but fatal idea that mere morality 



FOR A REVIVAIv. lOI 

and respedlability on the one hand and the love and 
merc}^ of God on the other will vSave souls, even when 
they die in an unconverted state. The church must be 
thoroughly impressed with the inexorableness of the 
words of Jesus, "He that believeth not is condemned 
already," and that without conversion there can be no 
salvation for any responsible soul. When sin and its 
consequences here and hereafter are clearly realized as 
fa(5ls of awful significance, and then only, will Christians 
comprehend the need of sinners. 

Few persons realize how many of their friends and 
acquaintances are unsaved. They do not apply the 
religious dodlrines they accept in a concrete way to the 
case of their friends, but think of them only as abstradl 
theological do(5lrines in a hazy, misty, and unreal way. 
They must be helped, therefore, by the pastor to make 
the application of the truth as a(5lual and living to their 
acquaintances, that they may know the number and 
personelle of the unsaved. His investigations along this 
line will now prove of great value. He can refer to 
his canvass book or to his lists for such aggregate figures 
with reference to the spiritual condition of the commu- 
nity as will in most cases not only impress but even 
startle Christians who have been previously indifferent. 
The number of unconverted persons in the Sunday-school 



I02 GETTING RKADY 

and in the regular congregation may be more or less 
accurately determined and referred to. He can canvass 
the families of the church and use the number of unsaved 
husbands, wives, parents, brothers and sisters, and 
the aggregate with telling effedl. These and other like 
facets can be reiterated in public and in private in various 
forms and connecftions until they are firmly fixed in the 
minds of Christians and wake a deep passion for the 
salvation of the people. It has been found useful to ask 
each member to make out a list of the unsaved persons 
among his friends and acquaintances and to hand it to 
the pastor for reference and prayer. The effedl upon the 
Christian in impressing him with the great number of 
the unconverted in the circle of his friends and 
acquaintances is the chief value of these lists as the 
pastor has in other ways made his investigations, 
but they often give him ideas of social and other 
relations that will be very useful. • It will often be 
necessary for the pastor to call the attention of Chris- 
tians to the unsaved in their own families and to ask their 
cooperation in saving them. Some need to be reminded 
of the dangerous condition of their neighbors and 
acquaintances. It may even be necessary to impress 
them that these persons can be saved and wake their 
hopefulness, for some people accustom themselves to the 



I^OR A REVIVAL. 103 

facl that certain of their friends are unconverted and 
seem to take for granted that they will always remain so. 
Out of this delusion they must be awakened. 

When Christian people have realized the eternal loss of 
a sinner so deeply that they begin spontaneously to pray 
for his salvation, the revival may be said to have begun. 
If the church has truly made the proper preparation for 
the coming of the Lord by confession, humiliation, 
prayer and faith, the battle may be said to be won. The 
iiardest work has been done, that which requires the most 
skill, perseverance, patience, and piety. But when it is 
done and thoroughly done, the cloud no larger than a 
man's hand is already above the horizon. The times of 
refreshing are at hand. There may 3^et be hard work 
to be done, but it is joyous and rich with reward. 



I04 I GETTING READY 



CHAPTKR III. 

ORGANIZING THE CHURCH. 

It is not so much a new organization that is needed as 
an application of that which alread}^ exists to the pur- 
pose of work, thus giving the merely formal organization 
looking to existence a content and realit}^ it lacked 
before. It is not the multiplication of church machinery 
so much as the getting what alread}^ exists into working 
order and making the proper connedlions. Organizing 
the church does not mean multiplying societies within 
the church with a large board of of&cials for each, but 
finding work for everybody that he can do and getting 
him to do it. 

I. The pastor must win for himself the power as well 
as the place of leadership. Some pastors are mere 
puppets in the hands of their leading members whose 
wills they consciously or unconsciously obey. Man^^ 
more are untrammeled in their own adls by outside 
pressure or didlation, but are not ready to assume any 
control or leadership over the individual members of 
their congregations. Others again are free enough to 



FOR A REVIVAL. 105 

assert their authority in the general management of the 
church but have nevertheless failed to win the loyal 
obedience of the individual members. It is exceedingly 
important that the pastor get control of the working 
forces of the church so as to use them as he under the 
guidance of the Holy Spirit may think wise and proper. 
Nor should any considerations of a modest nature hinder 
him from seeking to attain this power. Modesty is a 
pleasant trait, but it is no more a virtue when it checks 
the adlivity of a pastor who is looking forward to a 
revival meeting than in a general who is made respon- 
sible for the condudt of a campaign. It is his duty to 
lead and to diredl his people, and in so far as he allows 
a native timidity to hamper him in this phase of his 
work he is weak and recreant to the trust placed upon 
him. It goes without saying that I do not mean any 
didtatorial, magisterial authority such as obtains in 
military life. The pastor must so win the respedl and 
confidence of his people by his kindness, self-forgetfulness 
and piety, as well as by his knowledge and discretion, 
that they will cheerfully accept his suggestions as to the 
work they are colledlively and individually to do. A 
loyal people will obey a hint of their pastor as faithfully 
as will an army the stern command of its general. 
Where such obedience is lacking it is usually the fault of 



Io6 GETTING RKADY 

the minister. Either in characfter or judgment tliere is a 
conspicuous lack which forbids respedl and confidence, or 
he is unwilling to assume the leadership his position 
implies. The people want to be led; they gladly follow a 
real leader. It is true they do not want to be *' bossed," 
and resent it when it is attempted, but that is not leader- 
ship. Curt commands and scolding may do in an army 
or workshops, and even there they are an element of 
weakness, but where authority rests on purely moral 
considerations as in a church, they only undermine 
discipline and prevent obedience. The gentle authority 
of love will meet the obedience that is most useful and 
leave only blessings in its path. People can be trained 
to obey simply by giving them something to do and 
making frequent requests of a reasonable character and 
by the gentle and kindly, but firm and unwavering, nay 
indomitable and unconquerable, persistence of purpose 
to which the people will and must yield. If revival 
work is to be thoroughly successful, this element o^ 
leadership must be cultivated by the pastor until t^-s 
workers colledlively and individually are willing to do in 
spiritual work what he suggests by the methods he 
decides it wise to use. Otherwise he will always have a 
haunting fear crippling his efforts that his people will 
not accept his plans of work, and sometimes they will 



FOR A REVIVAI.. 107 

refuse to acffc on his suggestions, humiliating the pastor 
publicly, and stopping the work of grace that may be in 
progress. A timid, fearful leader rarely wins a vidlory 
and a mutinous, rebellious army certainly can expedl 
none. An evangelist of some note was once holding a 
meeting in a city church. One evening during the first 
week, before he had fully won his place as the leader of 
the people, he suddenly asked the Christians about the 
altar to follow him down the central aisle to the rear of 
the church in order that prayer might be had among the 
unsaved who were chiefly in that part of the house, a 
method he had efledtively used elsewhere; but the Chris- 
tian people who were really very anxious that the work 
should be a success were repelled by this method and 
refused to follow. This defeat had an exceedingly bad 
effedl on the meeting which during the subsequent w^ork 
was never wholly overcome. A young preacher was led 
by his deep sense of the meaning and horror of sin to 
preach a series of sermons on the subjedl, fearlessl}' 
applying the Word of God, laying judgment to the line 
and righteousness to the plummet, and sweeping away 
the refuges of lies. Deep conviction seized upon the 
unsaved and the young pastor looked for a great victory; 
but jUvSt as he was expecfting a break in the ranks of the 
unconverted, his people crowded about him denouncing 



Io8 GETTING RKADY 

his plain preaching and refusing to stand by him. 
Instead of the anticipated vidlory the meeting was an 
unfortunate defeat. In both instances if the proper rela- 
tion of leadership had been previously established these 
unfortunate results would not have ensued. 

2. There must be an organization of the church for 
aggressive work. The ideal should be: everybody at 
work on that which he is best qualified to do. It is the 
pastor's business to point out and divide the work in 
such a way as to realize this ideal. Only as he oversees 
and direcfts will there be unity and thoroughness in the 
efforts of the church. Of course this is no light task 
amid the multiplicity of other duties, but it should be 
none the less bravely and perseveringly attempted. 
Some men organize from mere instincft for organization, 
but the great majority who have not this genius must set 
themselves to learning how to organize, and compel 
themselves to do this important work, talent or no talent. 

As has already been suggested it is not so much a 
reorganization of the church that is needed, as a vitaliza- 
tion of that which already exists. The nominal leaders 
of the church must become real leaders. The class- 
leaders or elders must be made to feel the responsibilities 
of their positions and impressed with their duty to lead 
out in the work of the church. The Sunday-school 



FOR A re:vivai,. 109 

superintendent should be newly impressed with the spir- 
itual ends to be reached by the school under his charge, 
and, if possible, interested in the pastor's plans for 
accomplishing them. A special meeting of the Sunday- 
school teachers may be called for the purpose of 
impressing them with the need of their cooperation. 
Opportunities should also be sought in private to deepen 
this impression. In this way the whole organization 
must be quickened into new life, the connecftions of the 
church machinery must be fully restored, until the whole 
works together smoothly and powerfully. There is 
nothing finer in the world than a church in which every- 
body is at work doing that for which he is best fitted and 
cooperating with others in carrying out a well-matured 
plan for bringing the unsaved to Christ, The angels in 
heaven must rejoice over such a mighty engine for the 
glory of God. 

It may be well to appoint committees for visiting the 
homes of the unsaved. These should be sufficiently 
large to avoid burdening any one person unduly, and 
distributed geographically over the territory occupied by 
the society so as to minimize the needed time and effort. 
The pastor's lists of the unconverted persons of the com- 
munity should then be divided among these committees 
geographically in such a way that every unsaved person 



no GETTIXG READY 

has a Christian worker responsible for him. In some 
individual cases for social or other reasons it ma}^ be wise 
to ignore the geographical idea and put the responsibility 
on some one peculiarly fitted to meet it successfully. It 
will be wise to have several individuals assist in caring 
for each unsaved person, as the influence exerted 
increases in a geometrical ratio with each additional 
worker. These committees should have a clear idea of 
the subordinate as well as the final ends they are to 
reach, and also how best to reach them. This instruclion 
must not only be given them at the time of organization, 
but reiterated as often as opportunity- offers or necessit}- 
requires. as some of the workers will unconscioush- get 
these ends confused in their relative order and impor- 
tance. The first point to be gained is to get the unsaved 
into some sort of social relation to the church, where such 
does not already exist. Hence their first \'isits will have 
little apparent religious or churchly significance, being 
purel}' social calls. AMien kindly relations have been 
established the effort to get them interested in the ser\-ices 
of the church or in the Sundaj'-school may begin. Then 
it may be well to make them acquainted with the pastor 
who can easily secure an invitation to call at their 
home. WTien in the judgment of the pastor and his 
workers the soil has been fully prepared, the pureU' 



FOR A REVIVAI^. Ill 

religious work by conversation, reading of Scriptures, 
and prayer may be commenced. This should be as spon- 
taneous as possible, and if it can be managed that the 
person himself broaches the theme so much the better. 
Frequent consultations should take place between the 
pastor and the members of these committees in order that 
he may be kept informed of the progress making in each 
particular case, give needed advice, and spur his workers 
up to the utmost diligence. An occasional meeting of 
these coinmittees for interchange of experience and 
further instrudlion w^U be very profitable and probably 
generate enthusiasm in the work. 

A large and well selecfted committee for greeting and 
welcoming vStrangers who come into the services will also 
prove very useful. Its members should be seated in such 
places in the house that at the close of the service not a 
single stranger shall b^ able to pass out without being 
greeted by several persons and invited to come again. 
If opportunity offers, a few introdudlions may be given 
to other members standing by. A general cooperation 
of the church in this work should be insisted upon, so 
that strangers may easily be introduced into the church 
life and be attra(5led by its kindliness and courtes}'. The 
private work of the visiting committees will thus be 
reinforced and utilized. 



112 GETTING READY 

In addition to this official division of the church work 
which might not give every member of the society his 
specific duty, there should be a personal division of the 
responsibility in family and social lines. Every member 
should be held responsible for some one or more of their 
friends who are unsaved, whether they are willing to 
accept the responsibility or not. This sense of responsi- 
bility and care should be deepened as in the case of the 
committees by frequent references to the matter, and 
inquiries with regard to the progress of the effort. The 
pastor should not allow himself to be discouraged by 
indifference and the neglecT: of the duty assigned; he 
must patiently apply the tremendous power of iteration, 
until the conscience of the laggard is aroused. This 
may not occur until the revival meeting is in progress, 
but then all the power of the previous work of the pastor 
will be manifested. But in many cases he will see the 
indifferent gradually become interested, and persons who 
promised little take high rank as workers. It is the 
development of the latent power of the church which has 
not learned it own value which is one of the chief objedls 
in view in closely organizing the church for spiritual 
effort. Its development in public prayer and testimony 
will by the freshness of the voices and experience add 
variety and vigor to the social services, and inspire hope- 



FOR A RE:VIVAI . II3 

fulness and expecftancy in the church, at large. New 
ideas, new modes of expression, a fresh earnestness and 
zeal will break up the monotony of former meetings and 
wake greater interest. Moreover the momentum gained 
by their progress will be a force that will move the 
unsaved when once the opportunity comes for its appli- 
cation. 

As the spiritual tide rises in the church this personal 
work will be done more and more willingly and thor- 
oughly, and by the time the special services begin, the 
church will be prepared to lead souls to Christ, knowing 
who and where they are and how to win them. The 
trouble the pastor has taken to organize his work will 
yield returns a thousand fold. 

Preparation must also be made for the singing in 
advance of the meeting. The song-book the pastor 
intends to use should be introduced some months before 
the meeting begins and gone over by the musical talent 
of the church until every song likely to be useful shall 
be learned. It will be easy to institute regular meetings 
for the purpose of drilling these songs in a thorough 
way. While the pastor need not be the leader in these 
gatherings for pradlice, he ought to control them with a 
special view to their future effedliveness. When these 
8 



114 GETTING READY 

songs are learned the}' ought to be introduced into the 
church services and prayer and testimonj' meetings so 
that all may learn them. The people should be led, 
consciously or unconsciousl}', to commit to memory- one 
or more stanzas of the more valuable hymns, as it is often 
of great importance in a meeting to start a song spon- 
taneously without announcing the number. If the 
community has the requisite talent and public sentiment 
will permit it, provision may also be made for solos, 
duets, quartets, and choruses, the pastor insisting that 
not onl}' such material alone be provided as will really 
impress Gospel truth, but also that the}' be sung with 
the proper feeling and sense of their meaning. No 
matter what the musical power of the pastor, he ought to 
have a leader appointed for the singing. He should not 
bear this burden in connection with his other arduous 
labors. The selection of this leader will not be an 
eas3" task in man 5' communities, but the pastor must 
do the best that is possible under the circumstances. 
The essential qualifications of a good leader of song are 
the following: he must have a strong voice able to 
be heard in the midst of the loudest singing, sweet- 
ness not being so important; he must be able to start 
a song at the proper pitch without fail; he must be a 
real leader directing the people and controlling them; 



FOR A REVIVAIv. 115 

and finally lie must have his musical resources com- 
pletely at command and be able to fit his seledlion to 
the ruling- thought or feeling quick as thought. Whoever 
this leader ma^^ be, he should be trained and instructed 
both in the ends to be reached b}' the song, and how to 
reach them most successfully. That he has more musical 
skill than the pavStor does not by any means prove that 
he does not need the instrucftion; indeed his very culture 
in this direction may make it more necessary, as he is in 
danger of considering his work entirely from the artistic 
side than which nothing can be more fatal to the spiritual 
success of the song ser\dce. The pastor should also 
have an understanding with him that he seek to adapt 
himself to the efforts of the leader of the meeting, so 
that the latter may announce hymns and otherwise take 
charge of the music w^ithout causing offense. The pastor 
must always remain in full control of the ser\dce in all 
its aspedls. 

3. There w411 be need for more definite training in the 
methods and means of leading souls to Christ for mau}^ 
of the members both old and young. When one con- 
siders the ignorance of many Christian workers of 
human nature and the divine truth, one is amazed that 
there is as much accomplished as there is. But while 
the power of God can overcome the disadvantage of igno- 



Il6 GETTING READY 

ranee, that hindranee ought to be taken away as far as is 
possible. Hither in a special worker's meeting, in the 
regular prayer-meeting, by special sermons, or by 
means of tradls and books, such teaching should be 
given. Particular instrudlion vshould be given in the 
practical use of the Word of God for immediate spiritual 
ends. The texts that can be used for the convicftion or 
comfort of the unsaved, as need may require, for the 
rebuke of the scoffer, the Universalist, or the infidel, 
ought not only to be definitely known so as to be easily 
referred to, but even committed to memory. But the 
workers with the penitents are usually especially in need 
of instru<5lion in this so delicate and important task. 
The steps in conversion vShould be definitely known and 
an abundant stock of Scripture texts to be quoted from 
memory should be acquired. Instead of distradling, 
troubling and confusing the penitents as they often do by 
their excited and purposeless clamor, they ought to lead 
souls gently and lovingly into the kingdom. To do this 
requires skill and knowledge and it is the pastor's duty 
in one way or another to furnish these. 

This work has been carried to a high pitch of perfedlion 
in the training classes of many of our Young Men's 
Christian Associations, and much help may be gained 



FOR A RKVIVAI.. 117 

from the plans and methods they employ, as detailed in 
McConaughy's " lyeaves from a Worker's Note-book." 
Sloan's " Pradlical Outlines for Workers' Training 
Classes ' ' is considered even more useful by many. Indeed 
these very books may be introduced and used with great 
profit, omitting such portions as are less immediatel}' 
valuable. "The Coming Revival," a series of revival 
tradls written by a number of successful pastors, projected 
and edited by the writer for this ver}^ purpose has been 
found very valuable and effe(ftive. Nor should the 
pastor be deterred from attempting in one way or another 
to furnish such training b)^ the facft that owing to the 
native ability and culture of his workers no very com- 
plete or finished results are to be expedled. Indeed 
this fa(5t only proves all the more conclusivel}^ that 
training is needed, and needed greatly, and his dut3' 
to strive after such improvement as in the nature of 
the circumstances may be possible becomes more evi- 
dent even if his ideal cannot be attained. Should no 
more be done than the removal of a few offensive and 
senseless methods at the altar, and the equipment of a 
few of the more intelligent workers with several 
effecftive texts, the effort has been rewarded. In many 
communities where there is a gfreat unwillinofness 



Il8 GETTIXG READY 

to change from old habits and customs, it may be 
best to reach these ends in an indirecl way, leaving the 
purpose entireh' out of sight. In an}' case it will not be 
wise to attack the methods that obtain, trusting the 
better way that the pastor ma}' introduce to win its wa}'. 



FOR A REVIVAL. 119 



I=^jPs_k.t III. 

GENERAL PREPARATION. 



CHAPTER I. 

PREPARATION OF THE UNSAVED. 

Not the least necessary preparatory work for a revival 
is that which is to be done among the unsaved. And yet 
it is usually entirely negledled. If it is done at all it is 
in an indefinite, purposeless way that makes thorough 
work impossible. The final end of all revival efibrt is to 
save the unconverted. What can be more necessary than 
to bring them within reach of the gospel, to secure an 
influence over them that will render them more accessible 
to the efforts of the church ? The preacher too often pre- 
sumes that all he needs to do is to announce the meeting 
and not only the church-members, but the unsaved as 
well wall be present in force. It is safe to say that in the 
majority of communities the presumption proves to have 
no foundation in facft. In cities and in larger towns 
where other attradlions of a worldly nature abound; it is 



I20 GETTIXG READY 

often impossible to secure the attendance of any consid- 
erable number of the unconverted. Hence it is important 
that preparatory- efforts be made that will furnish the 
church with materials upon which to work. If the 
previous year was blessed with a larger ingathering the 
necessity is all the greater that a new class of persons 
who need salvation be attracted and prepared for the 
coming meeting. The off year in revivals is almost 
entirel}' due to the facl that the church has not accumu- 
lated materials in which it has a deep interest and which 
are under its influence. Nor can the pastor shift the 
responsibility upon the unsaved themseh'es, saying that 
as they will not come to the ser^'ices to be saved they are 
to blame if they are lost, and that he will be innocent in 
the sight of God, having done all that could be demanded 
of him; he is not free from responsibility until he has 
exhausted all his resources during months and years of 
effort to attract them to the ser^'ices. until by the personal 
work of the church and of himself the gospel invitation 
has been extended not only in the house of God but also 
in the homes of the people, until they have had pressing 
invitations to attend the ser^'ices as well as to come to 

Christ. 
But even when the attendance of the unsaved ma}' be 

certainly expecled, there is much preparator}' work that 



FOR A REVIVAL. 121 

ciin be done among them that will be exceedingl}^ useful 
anc! fa^il^'tate the work of saving them. Their attitude 
towards the church, its pastor and its individual members, 
will largely determine their susceptibility to their efforts. 
Their interest in the church and its work will be the gates 
by which the truth and the Spirit will enter their lives. 
Hence whatever the state of the community, the pastor 
should aim months before he plans to hold his special 
services to prepare the way among the unsaved for their 
conversion. ^ 

What has been said in previous chapters concerning 
the preparation of the pastor and the church has already 
outlined much of the work that needs to be done, and 
many of the methods to be employed. Having his lists 
containing the names and residence of all the unsaved in 
the community divided among his workers, so that some 
one is responsible for every unconverted person, a tre- 
mendous force for the salvation of the people has been 
set in motion. But he must by no means depend upon 
his people for doing all the work. Having his lists S3'S- 
temized by neighborhoods or streets, he ought to do a 
great amount of pastoral visiting among the unsaved. 
If he ever needs a full enduement of geniality and sym- 
pathetic, magnetic kindliness, it is in this phase of his 
labors. A hearty, friendly manner, utterly unprofessional 



122 GKTTIXG READY 

and manly, showing the people that he feels at home in 
their homes, will in most cases win the good-will and 
respedl of those whom he visits. A stiff professional air, 
in which the man is lost in the preacher, and genialit}^ in 
clerical dignit}^ will chill the hearts of the people and 
repel them from the church and from Christ. A domi- 
neering, sharp, and egotistical manner will have an 
equalh' fatal effecl. Sh3mess and timidit}" manifesting 
themselves in reserve or awkwardness are little fitted to 
put strangers at their ease. If the preacher suspedts 
himself of having any of these impediments he should 
tarry at pra3^er until self is lost in the work of saving the 
perishing. It is the preacher's duty to make those who 
meet him esteem him. While he cannot compel persons 
to feel kindly towards him, there must be some serious 
flaw in his life, characfler, or manner, or a grievous lack 
of tacl, if the great majority of those with whom he 
comes in contacT: is not attradled to him. But the oppo- 
site extreme of forced joviality and insincere flattery is 
degrading to the office and character of the pastor. Its 
reactionary influence on the spiritual health of the pastor 
is fatal. If the kindliness and geniality cannot be 
genuine, it is better to continue the natural reserv^e and 
stolidity of demeanor. However that may be, the spirit 
and atmOvSphere of the pastor's intercourse with the 



IJ^OR A RKVIVAI,. 123 

people should impress them that he lives in a religious 
sphere, and that the great controlling motives of his life 
are religious. While he will share with the people about 
him in all the good and innocent interests and enjoy- 
ments which help to make up our human life, the aroma 
of the higher spiritual life must ever be in the nostrils of 
those with whom he associates. Hence whether he 
expresses himself diredlly on religious subjedls or not, a 
spiritual influence is exerted. This is all the more 
important because in most cases it will not be wise to 
obtrude religious conversation in a personal way upon 
them at the first visit. This should be postponed until 
the pastor is reasonably sure that it will be kindly 
received and have some effecft. Of course if they mani- 
fest a willingness to consider the inatter or themselves 
bring it up, the pastor's duty is evident, and he should 
improve the opportunity afforded him. A request to 
pray with the family even at the first call will in most 
instances be perfedlly appropriate, and is indeed often 
expedled. A quick perception of what is appropriate 
under given circumstances, or in a word, tadl, is very 
useful in this work, and the pastor should use all that he 
has, and more, if he can acquire it. 

If the pastor can secure a personal introducftion to 
those whom he wivShes to win throuirh some mutual 



124 GETTING READY 

acquaintance, or through a member of his visiting com- 
mittee, and an invitation to call, he will have gained a 
decided advantage especially among persons of some 
social culture. Yet where this for an}^ reason seems 
impossible he should have little hesitation in making the 
call wdthout introdudlion or invitation. Few will resent 
this libert}^ on the part of a kind and faithful pastor, 
'while most will look upon it as an honor and appreciate 
it all the more that there was no previous acquaintance. 
In man}^ cases it will be wise to call on the men at their 
stores, work-vShops, or in the fields as they are at work; 
in other cases it will not be advisable at all. The slight- 
est contadt with any person should be made the pretext 
for claiming an acquaintance, and continuing it in a kind 
and hearty wa}^ A cheerful greeting for everyone on the 
streets or on the road will find general appreciation. 
Occasions of public interest which give the pastor an 
opportunity of showing his s\^mpathy with the feeling 
of the communit}' b}' his presence, or, better still, by 
adlive participation, or b}' public speech, should be used to 
add to his general influence in the communit3\ In a 
thousand wa3'S b}^ his social and secular adlivity he can 
gain an influence and win the confidence of the great 
mass of the unsaved in the localit}^ in which he labors. 



FOR A REVIVAL. I25 

But the preacher must cooperate with the pastor in this 
effort to get hold upon the unsaved masses by rendering 
the regular public service as interesting and attractive as 
possible. The singing, Scripture reading, and prayer 
should be carefully considered from this standpoint and 
all things lawful done to make them pleasing and enjo}^- 
able to outsiders. There is danger of overdoing this, of 
course, but most preachers err in the opposite diredlion.* 
The musical element of the service should be taken out 
of the formal rut, with little purpose or meaning, and 
filled with life and power. It may, or may not be wise 
under existing circumstances to organize the musical 
forces of the church into a choir, but in any event the}* 
can be gathered together in an informal way and drilled 
so as to make the song service more attradlive. Above 
all the preacher must insist that the congregation sing, 
for after all there is nothing so attractive as congrega- 
tional singing. Add to this carefully read Scriptures 
with bright and instrudlive comments and short, earnest, 
genuine prayers, and the service will have a movement 
and life that are certain to draw people. 

Of course the sermon will be the great magnet with 
which to attradl the unsaved to the services. Not for the 
sake of the applause of men, saved or unsaved, but for 
the sake of the lost whom he would lead to Christ, he 



126 GETTING READY 

Avill make an effort to make his sermons as interesting 
and popular as loyalt}' to the truth and to the final end of 
saving the people will permit. It is not simpl3' the 
preacher's privilege, it is his absolute duty to make his 
preaching as striking and brilliant as he can within the 
limits and with the motives alread}^ indicated. Nor 
need he wander into the by-wa3'S of science, philosoph^^ 
^3r current events to secure attractive themes; biblical 
truth still affords the grandest themes, kindling the 
imagination, satisf3'ing the reason, and touching the 
heart, which human thought can consider. Fresh views 
of the old truth will yield striking subjedls and their 
announcement will 34eld good returns. If newspapers 
are accessible they should be freely used for this pur- 
pose. The good old minister who refused to use the 
newspaper because it was degrading to the Gospel to 
bring it in contact with so secular an institution was too 
fastidious to be a good soldier in the army of the Lord, 
and it is not strange that the slain of the Lord under his 
ministry were few. A sermon or series of sermons to 
young people, or to 3'oung men, or to au}^ other import- 
ant class in the community, will often awake great 
interest and serve to build up the congregation. In 
general, while his methods should be legitimate and in 
no bad sense sensational, his preaching should make a 



FOR A REVIVAI^. 12/ 

sensation in the community, for that is what in all prob- 
ability is needed. The preacher should not allow 
himself to be worried by the criticisms of spirituall}' 
indolent and useless people who make their keen sense 
of propriety an excuse for their own lack of effort, and 
for criticising the efforts of others who are more zealous 
and faithful. A sandtified sensationalism, in which 
personal vanity and self-assertion are absent, has th^ 
blessing of God upon it. John the Baptist and the 
Master-preacher, Jesus Christ, both created a tremendous 
sensation by their preaching. 

But in addition to this effort to make his preaching as 
attractive as he legitimately can, there are other methods 
of building up the congregation and drawing in the 
unsaved. Special services in which other exercises take 
the ' place of the sermon may be held. A missionary 
concert by the Sunday-school will often greatly interest 
the people besides yielding other desirable results. 
Music is almost always acceptable, and an occasional 
service of song in which the best talent of the commu- 
nity participates will attradl large audiences. Care 
should be taken that these do not degenerate into 
concerts, for mere musical enjoyment or the displa}' 
of skill. The announcement of a ledlure, or scries of 
ledlures, in lieu of the sermon often selves the same 



128 GETTING READY 

purpose. It goes without sa3dng that these lectures 
must be thoroughly religious in matter and spirit. They 
will likely differ from sermons chiefly in their form. 
One pastor gave a series of Sunday evening lectures on 
the lyord's Praj^er with excellent results. Another 
attradled the 3'oung people by a series on the "Young 
People of the Bible." A number of ledlures on Bun3'an's 
" Pilgrim's Progress" added greatly to the interest and 
attendance of another pastor's services. Whatever the 
method it must recognize the principle that intellecftual 
must precede spiritual interest. 

But the preacher's work is not done when the benedic- 
tion is pronounced. As quickly as it is at all possible he 
should be at the door in the rear of the house to speak to 
the unsaved before they pass out. A cordial hand-shake 
with the stranger as well as wath the acquaintance, with 
a word of welcome or a personal inquiry or two, will 
have great value in building up a congregation of regular 
attendants. A quick eye for faces and a firm memory for 
names are very important here and need to be consciously 
cultivated by most men. He will be free to speak to 
every one, rich or poor, children as well as adults. It 
is his privilege to accost the stranger, for every member 
of his congregation is his guest, hence no timidity or 
false scruples of propriety should restrain him from 



FOR A REVIVAL. 1 29 

seeking the acquaintance of all however high or low in 
the social scale. Of course he will have time for but few 
words with each person, else he will greet but a small 
portion of those who have been present whose presence 
he ought to recognize. Yet if he is acquainted with all 
of his congregation it ma}^ be well to single out a few 
w^ho most need encouragement and kindl}^ recognition, 
and spend the little time at his disposal with them. 
Here as in private, the ' ' wisdom of the serpent ' ' will be 
needed to guide the talk in the right channel. While 
general religious conversation will be in order, with 
reference to the meeting or the truth that has been 
preached or the interests of the church at large, diredl 
personal application of religious truth should be made 
only when the plain call of the Holy Spirit or of the evi- 
dent circumstances is felt. Unless a general interest is 
felt in personal religion it is rarely wnse to speak to a 
person on this topic in the presence of others or in a 
crowd. Besides his own personal work the pastor will 
have an eye to the committee for welcoming strangers, 
and will diredl them, and call their attention to strangers 
that are in danger of being neglecffced in the general confu- 
sion. Nor will a robust, genuine, clerical dignity suffer 
from this freedom; it will rather flourish. The minister 



130 GETTING READY 

who is hampered by a false, artificial dignity, and hindered 
in using this golden opportunity for winning the hearts of 
the people, and making or renewing their acquaintance, 
is unfortunate and deserves to be pitied. 

While few preachers have the ph^^sical vigor to teach 
a class in the Sunday-school without discounting their 
pulpit work, they ought at least to be present at all 
the sessions if at all possible. In most communities the 
Sunday-school is the quarry from which most of the 
converts are dug out and if this is not so, something is 
wrong in the school and its management which ought to 
be speedily and courageously corrected. The pastor who 
is preparing for a revival should therefore pa}' particular 
attention to the members of the Sunda^^-school. While 
the personal acquaintance of all the scholars is important, 
that of the unconverted is particularl}^ so, especially of 
the older and more mature ones. As the pastor of the 
school he will have a right to visit their homes and to 
give them such pastoral attention as the circumstances 
may permit. The relation of the scholar to his teacher 
may easily- be discovered, and the influence of the latter 
understood. Where teachers have the proper qualifica- 
tions for spiritual work, their attention should be kept on 
the spiritual needs of their charges and their responsi- 
bility emphasized by frequent and impressive references 
to it. 



FOR A RKVIVAI*. I3I 

In a mission school in the West there was a class of 
six young men of a gay and lively turn who attended 
chiefly because of their high regard for their teacher, a 
young lady of charming manners and high Christian char- 
adler. As the revival season approached the pastor 
concentrated his forces upon that class determined to win 
them all to Christ. The teacher cooperated with him 
most heartily in this effort, and early in the meeting they 
were convidled and speedil}^ converted. The^^ were the 
most valuable workers won during that meeting, and have 
all been officials in the church which has since developed 
out of the mission. The emphasis of the class idea in 
this instance had much to do with the final success. 

The cooperation of the superintendent should be 
sought in making the sessions of the school increasingly 
spiritual. A short prayer service may take the place of 
some of the less important features of the regular pro- 
gramme. A short address by the superintendent or a 
leading teacher in this line ma}^ be helpful. With 
some superintendents this is not as eas}' as it should 
be. They are wedded to their mechanical routine 
and anything that breaks in upon their programme 
is deemed an intrusion. Owing to a false con- 
ception of the relation of the church and the school, 
many superintendents look upon a pastor's advice and 



132 GHTTIXG READY 

suggestions as more or less gratuitous and officious, and 
are inclined to assert their authority as superior to that 
of the pastor who to many of them seems to have no 
rights beyond those of other members of the school. In 
such cases the pastor should insist tipon his authority 
where he can do it without causing strife; but where 
unkind feelings might arise the pastor usually b}' a little 
strategy may accomplish the principal ends he desires. 
The more he can succeed in getting the superintendent 
and the teachers' meeting to do as if at their own sug- 
gestion, the more hearty and valuable will be their 
cooperation. 

Where the pastor takes an earnest interest in the 
work of the school, and adds by his labors to its pros- 
perity, there will very rarely be any trouble on his part 
in controlling it within reasonable bounds. In building 
up the attendance of the school, in particular he can do 
much. With the canvass-book or his lists before him, he 
knows where the families reside in which there are 
persons not in attendance upon any Sunday-school, and 
can take measures to solicit and in many cases secure 
their presence. In connedlion with the superintendent 
and teachers' meeting he may appoint new teachers to 
visit these homes, and from the materials thus gathered 
to form new classes. Or it may be wise to let the visiting 



FOR A RKVIVAI.. 133 

committees do the advance soliciting, and where scholars 
are secured their names can be reported to the pastor who 
will hand them to the appropriate teacher whose dut}^ it 
will be again to visit the famil}' and get into pleasant 
personal relations with the scholars and their parents 
and so assure their attendance and interCvSt. By the 
latter plan the new materials w^ill be scattered through 
the school and will be assimilated more rapidly, while 
the responsibility can be divided more equally among the 
whole corps of teachers. These scholars should be gath- 
ered in not only for their own sakes, but also for that of 
their parents and other friends who will soon recognize 
a certain bond of attachment to the church and of definite 
relation to it. The pastor should make as much as 
possible of this sense of relation to the church, and 
strengthen it constantly by all the methods and means at 
his command, diredl and indiredl. 

Perhaps not in all, but certainly in many communities, it 
will be very useful to provide a series of entertainments, 
such as ledlures, concerts, and the like. These should 
be free, or if there is any admission fee charged it 
should be small so as to exclude no one. If there is 
danger that these entertainments will not be attended b}- 
the persons whom it is desired to attra(5l, and the 
audiences are made up of Christians from the various 



134 GETTING READY 

churches, it ma}^ be well to issue invitations, either 
written or printed, to the persons whose presence is 
desired. The members of the church will of course be 
remembered as they will be needed to do the work that 
must fall upon them. The utmost care should be taken 
to send invitations to every unsaved family and person 
in the community, or else the slighted individual will 
antagonize the church. Admission may be exclusively 
by tickets, and the tickets sent to the church members 
and the unsaved persons by mail or by the visiting com- 
mittees. In village or country communities these 
methods of limiting the attendance will rarely be needed, 
and would only cause trouble if attempted. The workers 
need only urge their unsaved neighbors and friends to 
attend to reach the persons desired. Even if the persons 
invited by any of these methods do not attend the enter- 
tainments, they will be pleased by the kindl}^ feeling 
represented by the invitations and made more accessible. 
Care should be taken that these entertainments be not 
known as intended simply to win the unsaved; let that 
idea once become general and they will not come. 
** Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any 
bird" is still as true as in the days of the wise men of 
old. A little holy guile in these matters will produce 
valuable results. The pastor must also use the utmost 



FOR A REVIVAI,. 135 

discretion and caution that none of these entertainments 
contain elements that are harmful or inconsistent with 
the final end he has in view. The unsaved often have a 
more sensitive conscience with reference to what 
Christians ought and ought not to do than Christians 
themselves. A series of instrudlive and popular lecSlures 
varied by a concert or two, an elocutionary entertainment, 
or a couple of socials can do no harm if managed with 
ordinary discretion, but will do much to gather the 
unconverted about the church and make them accessible 
to the spiritual efforts of the pastor and his workers. 

It should be understood that at the close of these 
entertainments the audience is expedled to remain for a 
little social intercourse, the various committees and 
indeed the church at large doing their utmost to make 
the social feature free and pleasant, speaking to those 
who are unknown, making the acquaintance of the 
strangers, and introducing them to others. Stiffness and 
formality at such a time would be criminal. Kindliness, ^ 
unaffecfled and sweet, should be the prevailing spirit. 
The tadl and skill of the pastor will here have a large 
opportunity which will in the near future be fruitful in 
spiritual results. The church idea must be emphasized 
constantly by both pastor and workers, so that it will 
be the church, not the pastor or workers as individuals. 



136 GETTING READY 

that will get the credit for whatever attraxfls the people 
and consequently will wield the influence. 

It is often possible to attach many of the unsaved to 
the church still more closely by making them responsible 
for some share of the work, such as they are able to do. 
In a community known to the writer the pastor gath- 
ered the young people and trained them in the music he 
proposed to sing during the coming meetings and they 
understood that they would be responsible for the singing 
during that time. Before the meetings had been in 
progress many days almost every member of that choir 
had been converted. So in many of the purely secular 
phases of the church life it will often be possible in one 
way or another, or to a greater or less extent, to use the 
unsaved and in so doing prepare the way for their salva- 
tion. The fertility of the pastor in expedients will be 
marked by his success in finding work to do for the 
unsaved. 

Perhaps no better illustration of these methods and 
their happy results can be given than the following 
account of the work of Dr. Newell, an exceedingly suc- 
cessful pastor, in his "Revivals, How and When." 

'' In order to secure a yQcLvly ingathering of young men, 
it is indispensable that they should every A^ear be drawn 
to us from the outside world. But many negleclers of the 



FOR A REVIVAL. I37 

sandluary would not attend revival meetings; hence 
there niUvSt be something- to a^.tract them ; some prepara- 
tor}^ steps must be taken. 

After the summer vacation we commenced our year of 
evangelistic work. The question was, 'How can we 
insure the largest number of vi(5lories for the Master ? ' 
The pastor and the choir did not propose to do this work 
alone. The work was not left to the Sabbath-school or 
Bible-class. The people were not merel}^ urged from the 
pulpit in a general wa}^ to do more for Christ. All the 
soldiers of the cross were to aid their chosen leader in 
wise and specific adlion. Hence they must be interested, 
consulted. 

After surveying the field, and talking with the officers 
of the church, I was in the habit of inviting all the 
Christian young men of the congregation to meet me. 
After prayer and song I would perhaps say: 'What can 
we do this coming campaign for young men and others 
who are irreligious ? How can we win them to ourselves 
and to Christ?' Perhaps one would propose several 
reunions. This would be discussed and voted. Com- 
mittees on music and flowers and invitations, with 
chairman and secretary and treasurer, would be appointed. 
Another would perhaps propose that the pastor be 
requested to deliver a short course of Sabbath evening 



138 GETTING READY 

lectures to young men, on pradlical subjedls. This was 
also decided by vote. The pastor could suggest or 
objecl. In this way he obtained just what he wanted; 
but it was their work. They made the arrangements 
and bore the expenses. It was 3'oung men's missionary 
work, in which the pastor and the church and the con- 
gregation and outsiders were all finally enlisted. 

After a time notice came to the pulpit, saying, ' This 
church and congregation are invited by the young men 
to a reunion to be held in the LeAure and Sunday-school 
rooms.' Everybody was desired to bring in outsiders, 
and the poor of the congregation. The pastor with his 
companion and others were early present to receive an 
introdudlion to strangers, and to give welcome to all. 
Among -others there would be knots of young men to 
know and to entertain. The pastor and others gave 
introdu(5lion and special attention to the friendless and 
the unknown. He put in his parish-book the name and 
residence of strangers, with the promise of a future call. 
It was really missionar}^ work. 

On this occasion the chairman of the young men's 
committee presided. He finally called upon the free and 
happy assembly to listen to some special music. The 
pastor and several others would be called out to say a 
word of love and cheer. The assembly would join iu 



FOR A REVIVAL. 139 

a familiar song. Then came a word of prayer and the 
benediction. In reviewing- this scene, how nian}^ said to 
me: ' What a delightful time we have had. How 
pleasant and home-like it all seemed. This is the church 
I want to attend.' Two or three of these reunions were 
held during the autumn. In a small congregation such 
reunions might, perhaps, be held at a private house. 

In the meantime appropriate subjedls for five or six 
Sabbath evening discourses were seledled by the pastor. 
The young men printed the subjecfts and the time of 
their delivery. These cards were distributed in the pews 
and in the Sabbath-schools. Every one w^as expedled to 
do his best to circulate them among the 3^oung men and 
the strangers of the community. In this way a large 
crowd was alwa3^s colledled. Sometimes a distinguished 
clergyman would open the course, and once a w^hole 
course of le(5tures was delivered by different pastors in 
the city. The subjedls discussed were eminently practi- 
cal. A neglecfter of the sandluary, who kept his store 
open on the Sabbath, said to me one Sabbath eveninr: 
* I am sorry these lecftures have closed. I would love to 
attend such meetings every Sabbath evening in the 
year.' His large family were brought into the fold of 
Christ. 



I40 GETTIXG READY 

During the autumn, boxes of missionary clothing" 
were prepared. Entertainments were sometimes given 
for the purpose of raising the salar}^ of cit}^ missionaries. 
Many calls were made. B}^ all these, and other means, 
there was much social and familiar intercourse among 
parishioners and outsiders. Many strangers had come 
to be our friends. In all this work the end in view 
was the salvation of souls. During this time sinners 
were often converted; but this was a preparation of the 
field. It was the ploughing and the harrowing. As 
soon as the Week of Pra^^er arrived, all this general 
work was abandoned. As a wise business arrangement 
this was an indispensable measure. No absorbing matter 
must obtrude. The time had now come for that thorough 
preparation of heart to which I have already referred. 
The one specific and uninterrupted aim was now to be the 
present conversion of sinners. Bonaparte made specific 
arrangements for a conflict. The merchant prepares for 
the busy season. With equal propriety and profit we 
prepare for an ingathering of souls. 

Worldly young men and strangers became our friends, 
and they were so enlisted in this movement that they 
could not be drawn away by the frivolities of the cit^'. 
They attended our evangelistic prayer-meetings, in 
which Christian 3'oung men took part. This wise timing 



FOR A RKVIVi^Iv. 141 

of things never insured a revival, but it alwa^'S proved 
and invaluable aid. It vastly increased the number 
saved. ' ' 

Of spiritual preparation there can be comparatively 
little among the unconverted. There may and ought to 
be much of iuvStrucftion given in the various evangelical 
truths of the Bible, and put in such a form that they will 
be deeply impressed with its truth and reasonableness. 
Where there are two sermons each Sunday, it may be 
well to preach in the evening on themes intended for the 
unsaved, leading them to recognize their need of conver- 
sion and of salvation from sin. These should become 
increasingly evangelistic and earnest until the special 
services begin. The thought of a coming revival may 
be used to generate expedlancy even in unsaved persons. 
The best preparation of the unsaved will be that which 
results indiredlly from the rising tide of spiritual powder in 
the pavStor and in the church. As the Spirit works more 
and more mightily in the church, they will feel his 
influence too. The sermons intended for the church and 
used by the Spirit for the waking of the church will 
**find" the sinner as well. Indeed there is generally 
little use in trying to impress the unsaved until the 
church manifests the rising tide. When purely personal 
religious work is done before the church is ready there is 



142 GETTING READY 

great danger of repelling the unconverted and in harden- 
ing the unsaved against the truth before the time for 
aggressive effort has come. It is a mistake to urge 
sinners to come to Christ before the Christian people are 
read}' to pray with and for them. While this is true in 
general, there nia\" occur specific cases where the plain 
dut}' of the pastor will be to strive to lead the soul to 
.Christ at once. The conversion of a sinner or the 
reclamation of a backslider ma}' thus be used to spur up 
the church to a completer consecration. 

If this preparatory- work is done 3'ear after 3'ear among 
the unsaved there is no reason wh}^ there should not be 
an ingathering into the church every yesLV. Of course 
the results looked at numericall}- will vary with the 
circumstances over which the pastor cannot in the very 
nature of things expect to have an}- control. But with 
God ever read}' to save those who come unto him, and 
with unsaved persons in the community, every year 
ought to have its harvest of souls, and will have if the 
pastor does his full duty. 



:por a revivai^. 143 



CHAPTER II. 

CALLING AN EVANGELIST. 

Where it is at all possible the pastor should be his own 
evangelist. While the results may not appear as great as 
when the help of an evangelist is secured, they are 
usually more permanent and leave the church in better 
condition. The pastor's influence over his people, his 
standing in the community, and his own Christian 
life and charadler will be built up by his per- 
sonal efforts in revival work, and his power for good 
for the future greatly increased. His relation to the con- 
verts will be more intimate and his influence over them 
greater. In every respedl the results will be more 
healthy and normal if the pastor is the leader in the 
Special services instead of a stranger. But there are 
exigencies when the engagement of an evangelist is 
proper and advisable. When the pastor's health will not 
permit him to undertake the exhausting and arduous 
task; when he finds by repeated past attempts that he 
lacks the gifts and talents necessary for efle(5live revival 
work (truly a sad discovery!); when by his own or others' 



144 GETTING READY 

fault he has not the necessary control of the working forces 
of the church; when in previous years he has largely won 
those elements in the community which are susceptible 
to his ideas and methods; when in a long pastorate the 
many meetings held by a single pastor have caused the 
congregation to fall into a rut in revival work which robs 
it of spontaneity^ and power and out of which they need 
to be helped by an impulse from without; when owing 
to other attractions and distradlions the pastor finds 
himself unable to draw any considerable number of the 
unsaved to the special services; when all other efforts 
and plans have failed to stir the community on religious 
subjedls; when any of these or other like conditions obtain 
it will be wise to seek the help of a competent evangelist 
whose spirit and methods are adapted to the needs of the 
community. 

To make such a choice and to secure the services of the 
chosen evangelist at the time when the congregation is 
ripe for a revival is no light responsibility or tri- 
fling task. Within the last few years the number 
of evangelists has been rapidly increasing. Among 
them are men of high character and large ability, 
but also those who are utterly unreliable and irre- 
sponsible. Some are the merest charlatans whose 
only call to the work is an adventurous disposition and 



FOR A RE:vIVAI.. I45 

instindlive desire to create a sensation wherever they go, 
having no real piety and little regard for the truth, and 
moving in an atmosphere of undefined but persistent 
suspicion. To glorify themselves seems to be their chief 
objed: in life to which all other interests are sacrificed. 
To have engaged such an evangelist in ignorance of his 
real character is a calamity to pastor and people. To 
prevent such a calamity the pastor should make a careful 
investigation of the past record of the evangelist whom 
he is inclined to call. There are so many excellent and 
successful evangelists in the field that a mistake in this 
respecft is unnecessary. Indeed the variety of spirit and 
methods employed by them is so great that if the pastor 
attends to the matter in time, he will have little trouble 
in securing the help not simply of an efiicient evangelist, 
but of one adapted to the demands of the situation, and 
one who will supplement his own deficiencies. 

Ministers are often misled in their judgment of evan- 
gelists by an undue emphasis of preaching ability. Of 
two evangelists equal in other respedls, the better 
preacher should of course be chosen, but that is not the 
final basis of judgment. Some of the best evangelists 
are poor preachers according to accepted standards. The 
great essential talent of the evangelist by which he 



146 GETTING READY 

stands or falls is his heat producing power. If the 
pastor and the Sunday-school have been doing their 
work aright, the people will not need instrudlion so 
much as a vitalizing of what they have learned, and an 
impulse from without to adl according to that instrudlion. 
To lead the people to transmute knowledge into a(5tion is 
the mission of the evangelist in most communities, and 
he must be judged by his power to lead people to acfl 
rather than by the value of his preaching. If he is 
overflowing with religious earnestness, if the truths of 
the Gospel are to him veritable realities, if he has a con- 
tagious enthusiasm that warms the people, if he is 
genuine and sincere in the expression of his religious 
life, no matter how weak or weighty his preaching, he 
will succeed in quickening and warming saints and 
in leading sinners to Christ. Other things being equal, 
the evangelist who is a good singer or who is accompa- 
nied by a good leader of song is to be preferred, as 
that will not only add to the general interest and 
power of the services, but also serve to draw into the 
meetings unconverted persons who could not otherwise 
be induced to attend. 

When an evangelist is desirable an engagement should 
be made with him a sufficient length of time in advance 
and a definite date fixed if at all possible in order 



FOR A REVIVAL 147 

that the pastor may prepare the way for his coming. 
The congregation and the community should be inter- 
ested in the coming worker by private conversations 
concerning him, and when possible by a discreet use of 
the newspapers. Care should be taken however to be 
corre(5t as well as kindly in the descriptions given of him 
and his work, lest there be a general disappointment and 
readtion when he comes. The Christian workers of the 
church must be impressed privately and publicly with 
the necessity of cheerfully and loyally accepting the 
methods of the evangelist however distasteful and unreas- 
onable they may appear at first sight. The church 
should also be made to realize that upon them and their 
cooperation more than upon the work of the evangelist 
will the success of the meeting depend. When an 
evangelist comes Christians are often inclined to stand 
back as spectators to see how he will succeed. This atti- 
tude is very unfortunate and prevents a large success 
unless he has the power to change it. 

Arrangements should be made in advance to provide 
for the compensation of the evangelist w^hich should be 
generous and ungrudging. A competent committee 
should be appointed to canvass the communit}' and raise 
the desired funds. lUvStead of this ])lan there ma}' be col- 
lections held at every service, or a strong public effort at 



148 GETTING READY 

the close of the series of meetings. While few evangel- 
ists demand a specified sum, many of them have their 
own plans for raising what they are to receive. It may 
be well therefore to give him an opportunity for express- 
ing his preferences in the case. The best possible 
arrangements should also be made for his comfort. A 
home should be secured for him near the church, where 
he need not feel the restraints of a guest, but can feel free 
to come and go at his pleasure. A room well heated 
and comfortably furnished where he can be in stridl pri- 
vacy, where he can unbend, rest, study, meditate, pray, 
without interruption, should be provided. It should be 
understood that he is not to be disturbed and imposed 
upon by unnecessary calls and visits. 

By securing the assistance of an evangelist the pastor 
has neither resigned his office nor unloaded the responsi- 
bilities that are upon him for the spiritual welfare of the 
people. His public leadership may be held in abe^^ance 
for a few days, but in private his people should not miss 
his diredlion and stimulus. Where the employment of an 
evangelist cripples the influence of a pastor it is usually 
his own fault. He throws off all the responsibility upon 
the evangelist, and feels that he has done his duty when 
he prays when he is called upon. While the evangelist 
is prCvSent the pastor should magnify his office as 



FOR A REVIVAL. I49 

pastor, doing the private personal work that is often 
more important than the public service, and which no 
one ought to be so able to perform as he. He should not 
expect the evangelist to do much of this pastoral work, 
as he will likely need all his vStrength for the public 
service. The pastor should come into personal contacl 
with every awakened sinner b}- conversations in private 
and in the congregation, and get into such personal rela- 
tions with every convert that he may be able to influence 
and control him after the meeting has closed. By his 
deep and patent anxiet}^ for the success of the special 
services, b}^ his deep religious earnestness and fervor, b}' 
his tireless private efforts, the pastor should impress the 
congregation that, while the evangelist is in seeming 
control, he is the real leader and manager of the work. 
This ma}" be done without in the least hampering the 
movements of his helper whose methods and public 
leadership he ought to accept in a large-hearted and lo3"al 
way perfedll}^ consistent with a proper self-respecft. 
There must be some extreme imprudence or folly in the 
measures of the evangelist before the pavStor is justified 
in opposing them among his people, much less in the 
presence of the unsaved. The facft that the stranger can 
use methods that it would be the height of folly for 
the pastor to attempt is one of the advantages connecfled 
with his assistance. The very faci that the pastor cannot 
or has not used a given method may be the best reason 



150 GETTING READY 

for its use by the evangelist. Very frequently at the 
beginning of a series of meetings the evangelist's fearless, 
unsparing treatment of the weaknesses and follies of 
professed Christians provokes a passing antagonism and 
bitterness against him. The pastor should not be misled 
or worried if this should happen, nor should he join the 
hue and cry against the evangelist that he is scolding^ 
and denouncing too much. This antagonism is only the 
promise of thorough work and large results. But while 
the pastor should not express any sympathy with the 
complaints of the people, he should also avoid participat- 
ing in the severity which the evangelist may find it 
necessary to use. He cannot afford as can the evangel- 
ist to risk the permanent alienation of his people- 
Kindliness, patience, and tadl should characterize the 
pastor's a(5lions in such an exigency. 

Mutual forbearance, consideration, and appreciation 
will make the association of the pastor and the evangelist 
a delightful and profitable one. The pastor should learn 
all the evangelist can teach him of the management and 
control of evangelistic services. The most valuable 
result of a meeting held by an evangelist has often been 
the new conceptions of the work gained, the new methods 
acquired, the new spirit of aggressiveness absorbed by 
the pastor in whose church the services were held. 



FOR A REVIVAI.. 151 



CHAPTER III. 

MISCK1.1.ANKOUS pre:paration. 

The proper announcement of a revival meeting is more 
of a fine art than most preachers realize. It is not 
enough to give the people a knowledge of the proposed 
services. They mnst be so advertised as to create a 
desire to attend them from the very beginning. Even in 
country or village communities, where less effort is 
required, very much less is done in this direcftion than 
should be done. The families of the church who for 
sufficient or insufficient reasons have been absent from 
several of the recent regular services may know nothing 
of the opening of the campaign. The unconverted fam- 
ilies who rarely or never go to church are ignorant of the 
meetings until they have been in progress for some time 
and something unusual occurs and becomes the subje(ft 
of general conversation. But in larger towns and cities 
the matter of advertising the expedled revival services 
becomes one of the first importance and needs careful 
attention. Fertility in expedients and tacft will find 
abundant occasion for exercise in this task. INIethods 



152 GETTING RKADY 

must vary with the circumstances j and while anything 
sensational or undignified is to be carefully avoided, the 
neater and more striking the plan the more efFedlive will 
it be. From year to year it ma^^ be well to vary the 
methods employed so as to insure attention and interest. 
A rapid course of house to house visitation in which no 
family in or out of the church is missed and in which the 
chief or only topic of conversation is the proposed special 
services will be found a laborious but very efficient plan 
in small communities. To this ma^' be added a printed 
or still better a written postal reminding every family in 
the community of the opening of the meetings a day or 
two before they begin. In larger communities a printed 
poster conspicuously divSplayed in public places will be 
useful. These should be supplemented by neatl}^ printed 
invitations to the services to be sent b}" mail to the 
unsaved persons in the communit3^ These invitations 
should emphasize the coming of the evangelist, the good 
singing, or other attradlions that have been provided as a 
bait and which are likel}^ to interest those to whom the 
invitations are diredled. They should not be too 
aggressively personal in religious matters, else they will 
repel instead of invite. A few pertinent Scripture texts 
will bear the message less obtrusively, and make the 
proper religious impression without giving offense. By 



FOR A RE^VIVAIv. 1 53 

inserting the name of the family to whom they are sent, 
they may be made more diredl and personal. After the 
services have begnn, small hand-bills may be distributed 
in the neighborhood calling attention to the progress of 
the meeting. The press where it is available should be 
used to the full extent of the courtesy and good-will of its 
editors. The tacftics of those who wish to sell their 
wares or who strive to recommend the amusements they 
offer the people may be studied and with proper modifi- 
cations imitated by the energetic pastor as he seeks to 
secure the attendance of the unsaved. 

There are a few other little matters of preparation 
which deserve at least passing notice. They are material 
rather than spiritual, but may have an influence on 
spiritual things and to a considerable degree condition 
results. 

It is important that the church edifice be put into such 
condition as will best serve the needs of the expedled 
revival services. In country neighborhoods or villages 
it will be wise to provide facilities for hitching securel}' 
and caring for the horses and vehicles that will gather. 
The approaches to the church can usually be so arrangeiv 
that vehicles can be driven near the church door so that 
in case of storms of rain and snow persons need not long 
be expOvSed to their violence in mounting and dismount- 



151- GETTING READY 

ing. In some cases a vestibule may be placed at the 
entrance of the church during the winter season where 
persons who arrive during prayer may remain in shelter 
until they can enter the house without disturbing the 
service. This vestibule need not be very large and may 
be made portable by being construdled in se(5lions, easily 
put together and taken apart. Such a strudlure, neat and 
tasty, in harmony with the style of the church building, 
may be constru(5ted at a small expense, and will add 
very much to the comfort of the people and the order of 
the services. 

The provision for heating the building should be ample 
and adapted to the needs of the people. SufScient fuel 
should be put in the stove before the meetings begin. 
Receptacles should be provided in the church for the fuel 
necessary for a service, and so arranged that the stoves 
can be replenished with the least possible confusion and 
noise. I have seen the progress of more than one meet- 
ing materially checked by the disturbance created by the 
sexton attending to the fires. Proper facilities for ven- 
tilating the room are equally important. The usual way 
of ventilating a room that is insufferably close or hot by 
throwing up a window is to invite disease and death to 
take hold upon the penspiring congregation. Hence 
some other less dangerous method of lowering the tem- 



FOR A RKVIVAI,. I55 

perature or introducing fresh air should be devised. 
Whatever the plan of ventilation, the preacher ought to 
be able to control it by a mere look at the proper person, 
and have the proper changes made without the knowl- 
edge of the congregation, thus avoiding both distracSlion 
and complaint. 

The church should be well lighted. Light has a moral 
quality, begetting inspiration, enthusiasm, and hopeful- 
ness. Plenty of lamps should therefore be provided, so 
that the finest print can be read anywhere in the room 
and persons readily recognized at any distance within 
the walls. To save lamps and oil during a revival meet- 
ing is unthrifty economy. 

The minister should make careful provision for his 
own comfort and health during the meeting. Owing to 
the heat of the crow^ded house and the violence perhaps 
of his physical and nervous exertion, he will find him- 
self at the end of the service bathed in perspiration. In 
such a condition to make a change of fifty degrees in the 
temperature of the atmosphere which surrounds him and 
which he breathes cannot but give a dangerous shock to 
his system. In many cases carelessness here has bben 
the cause of permanent disability, or even of death 
through throat and other diseases. If on the other hand 
proper precautions are taken, evangelistic work is not 



156 GETTIXG READY 

necessaril}^ prejudicial to bodil}' health, but ma^^ ser^^e, 
as it has done in numberless cases, to strengthen and 
build it up. Sufficient wraps should be provided for 
the whole person, but for the neck and head in 
particular. If he has an}' distance to ride, he vshould 
be well wrapped in robes and rugs so as to abso- 
lutel}' prevent an}- chilling. In holding a meeting 
at some distance from his own home, the selection of 
his stopping place should be made with care. He should 
frankly tell his people that the proper care' of his health 
will not permit him to spend his nights in their various 
homes as is expeclied in some communities. To sleep in 
a different bed ever}' night, perhaps in rooms where there 
has been no fire for months, if indeed ever, where the 
bed-clothes are ic}' with dampness, is to criminalh' risk 
one's life and future health, which the minister has no 
right to do, if it can at all be prevented. He should 
selecl: a home as near the church as possible, and engage 
a bedroom in which there is a stove where a brisk 
fire is to be kept several hours each da}', and a well 
furnivShed bed which is to be thoroughl}' aired each day 
to obviate the evil consequences of his unusual and copi- 
ous perspiration. If he cannot have a stove in his room 
he should have a jug of warm water, a hot stone, iron, or 
even a stick of wood, well wrapped to prevent a too rapid 



FOR A REVIVAL. 157 

loss of heat, placed in his bed. Nor should any timidity 
or unwillingness to make what might appear unnecessary 
trouble, or any fear of giving offense to other members 
of his church whose hospitality he does not accept pre- 
vent him from thus providing for his comfort and taking 
the proper precautions to shield his health. The success 
of the campaign depends too much upon the maintenance 
of his health and strength to allow any trivial consider- 
ations to interfere with proper arrangements for their 
protedlion. 



INDEX. 



Advertising a revival, 151. 
After the service, 128. 
Anecdotes, ^. \ 

brief, 38. 

pointed, 39, 

lively and forcible, 39. 

appeal to sensibilities, 39. 

fresh, 40. 
Association of pastor and evangelist, 148. 
Attra(5live themes, 126. 
Autobiography, Finney, 50. 

Barnes, Dr. Albert, quoted, 6^. 

Beecher, Dr. layman, quoted, 69. 

"Bringing in Sheaves," E)arle, 50. 

Building up attendance of Sunday-school, 132. 

Banyan's "Pilgrim's Progress," 128. 

"Cabinet of Illustrations," Gannett, 43. 

Calling an evangelist, 143. 

Canvass-book, 31. 

Cartwright, Peter, 50. 

Choice of an evangelist, 144. 

Clark, Rev., 99. 

Comfort and convenience in church building, 153. 

"Coming Revival, The," 117. 

Committees, 109. 

Compensation of evangelist, 147. 

Conditions of spiritual baptism, 88. 



i6o ixde:x. 

Confession, 85. 

Contents, 9. 

Cooperation of pastor and evangelist, 14S. 

Cooperation of Sunday-school teacher and superintendent, 131. 

Craft's "Supplemental Encyclopedia," 45. 

Cuyler, Dr., quoted, 24, 92. 

Danger of belittling conversion, 97. 
Danger of denunciation, 93. 
Dante's "Inferno," 58. 
Determination to have revival, 53. 
Dire(fl reference to faults, 94. 
Disraeli, quoted, 38. 
Doe, Rev. W. P., quoted, 96. 

Karle, 49. 

"Bringing in Sheaves," 50. 
Employing others' help, 97. 
Entertainments, 133. 
Essentials of song-books, 46. 
Every Christian's power, 26. 
Evidences of success, 112. 

FiXAL end of revival effort, 119. 
Finney, 49. 

Autobiography, 50. 
"Fire and Hammer," Parker, 50. 
Fleming's "Fulfillment of Scripture," 66. 
Forgetfulness of self, 62. 
Future condition of unconverted, 100. 

Gannett's, Howard, "Cabinet of Illustrations," 43. 

General Preparation, 119. 

" Gospel Worker's Treasury, The," 43. 

Graves* "I^ife and Sermons," 50. 

Hammond, 49. 

" Reaper and the Harvest," 50. 
" Hand-book for Revivals/' Fish, 50. 
Health of minister, 155. 
How to make the service interesting, 125. 



INDIvX. l6l 

How to selec5l song-book, 46. 
Humphrey, Rev. Dr., quoted, 77. 

Ideal, of organization, 108. 

Illustration, 54, 66, 72, 90, 92, 94, 107, 131, 136. 

Illustrations, 35. 

for sermon, 35. 

for song, 44. 

systemized, 44. 
Illustrative material, 40. 

personal experience, 41. 

cyclopedias, 42. 

Bible, 42. 
Importance of attention to music, 47. 
Importance of spiritual influence, 123. 
Impressing Christians as to unsaved, loi. 
Indire<5l work, 78. 
"Inferno," Dante, 58. 
Interesting public service, 125. 
Introdudtion, 11. 

Jones, Mr., 29, 49, 

Kirk's "lyCcS^ures on Revivals," 50. 
Knowledge, Pastor's, of situation, 20. 
of self, 20. 

physical, mental, spiritual, 20, 21. 
of community, 22. 

laws of propriety, 22. 
peculiarities, 22. 

relations between individuals, 23. 
standing of individuals, 24. 
special talents of individuals, 25. 
of enemy, 28. 

prevalent sins in community, 28. 
cause and extent of resentment against church, 28. 
social organization, 29. 
number and whereabouts, 30. 
lyEADER of song, 114. 

" Ivcaves from a Worker's Note-book," McConn.ughy, 117. 
"lyccflures on Revivals," Kirk, 50. 

tz 



l62 INDEX. 

"I,etters from Hell,' Rowel, 58. 
"lyife and Sermons," Graves, 50 
I^ists, 31, 121. 

Management of revival, 47. 

"Manual of Revivals," Hervey, 50. 

McConaughy's "I^eaves from a Worker's Note-book,*' 117. 

Memoirs of Peter Cartwright, 50. 

Methods of successful revivalists, 49. 

Milton's "Paradise I^ost," 58. 

Miscellaneous preparation, 151, 

advertising, 151. 

condition of church building, 153. 

health of minister, 155. 
Moody, 43, 49, 93. 
Morality not enough, 100. 

Necessity of faith, 6t,. 

Need of an evangelist, 143. 

Need of geniality, 121. 

Nettleton, 49. 

Newell, Dr., quoted, 54, 72, 93, 136. 

" Revivals, How and When," 50, 136. 

Number of unsaved, loi. 

« 

Off 3^ear in revivals, 120. 
Organizing the church, 104. 

" Paradise I^ost," Milton, 58. 

Parker's " Fire and Hammer," 50. 

Pastoral relation, 95. 

Pastor as evangelist, 143. 

Pastor must be leader, 104. 

Pastor's relation to Sunday-school, 130. 

Personal acquaintance, 123. 

Personal division of responsibility, 112. 

Personal love for unsaved, 68. 

"Pilgrim's Progress," Bunyan, 128. 

Pillars of church, 96. 

Porter, Dr., 19. 

Power of preacher, 19. 



INDEX. 163 

Power of the Wofd, 60. 

"■ Prayer- Meeting, The," Thompson, 99. 

" Pradlical Outlines for Worker's Training Classes," Sloan, 117. 

Preacher's preparation, 17. 

importance of, 17. 

time necessary for, 17. 

compared to a campaign, 17. 

result of inadequacy of, 18. 
Preface, 7. 

Preliminary remarks, 17. 
Preparation for revival, 

of preacher, 17, 69. 

of church, 76. 
spiritual, 83. 

general, 119. 
Preparatory work among Christians, 77. 
Pressing unsaved into service, 136. 
Previous preparation of songs, 45, 113. 
Public prayer, 90. 

Qualifications of leader of song, 114. 
Quoting texts from memory, 116. 

Realization of need, 83. 

Realization of scripture truth, 55. 

"Reaper and the Harvest," Hammond, 50. 

Relation of church to outside world, 27. 

Repentance, 85. 

Reproof of neglecSl, 92. 

Responsibility of preacher, 19, 66. 

Result of realization, 103. 

" Revivals, How and When," Newell, 50, 136. 

" Revivals — How to Promote Them," W. P. Doe, 98. 

'* Revival Ledtures," Finney, 50. 

Rowel's " lyctters from Hell," 58. 

Scripture texts, 116. 
Secret prayer, 90. 
Self-examination, 69. 
Self-forgetfulness, 62. 
Self-surrender, 69. 



164 INDEX. 

Sense of sinfulness, 56. 

its folly and degradation, 56. 

in God's sight, 57. 

consequences, 57. 
Sermon, The, 91. 

Sloan's ''Pradlica lOutlines for Workers' Training Classes," 117. 
Social organization among unsaved, 29. 
Social sei-vices 98. 
Songs suitable for revival, 46. 
Special services, 127. 
Special talents, 25. 
Spirit of prayer, 86. 
Spiritual influence of pastor, 123. 
Spiritual preparation, 52. 
Spiritual preparation of church, 83. 
Study of methods, 48. 
Sunday-school, 130. 
"Supplemental Kncyclopedia," Craft, 45. 

Table of contents, 9. 

Talking up need of revival, 95. 

Texts, 33, 116. 

Thompson's, Rev. L. O., "The Prayer-Meeting," 99. 

Training members in methods, 115. 

Undeveloped vt^orkers, 25. 
Use of anecdotes, 35. 

Value of consecration, 71, 74. 
Value of determination, 54. 
Value of variety in services, 80. 

Wayland, Dr., 100. 

Welch, John, 66. 

When an evangelist is needed, 143. 

Who need particular attention, 96. 

Young Men's Christian Association, 116. 

"Young People of the Bible," 128. 

"Young People's Prayer-Meeting," Clark, 99. 




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